Policy information sourced from the Finsbury Local Plan

BC3 Old Street

Old Street will become a distinctive, high quality, diverse and vibrant commercial destination within central London. The environmental quality of the roundabout will be transformed through coordinated public and private investment, with complementary improvements to neighbouring residential areas, including:

  • Significant investment in the open space and transport infrastructure of Old Street station and roundabout to support the proposed level of development, improve access to the station (including a new at-grade entrance), create good quality public open space, reduce traffic impacts and improve interchange between bus, train and tube.
  • Business uses, including workspaces suitable for occupation by small and micro enterprises, and supporting uses.
  • Retail and leisure units fronting Old Street, City Road and within the station, and retention of a Post Office within the area.
  • New homes, including family sized units of 3 bedrooms or more.

The following should be provided by development proposals:

A) A substantially improved public realm that unifies the streets and spaces around the roundabout, improves access to the underground station and prioritises pedestrian and cyclist circulation and safety, and which:

  • Results in an attractive and functional new public space located at or near to the current centre of the gyratory, accessible at-grade from the surrounding streets,
  • Does not create any adverse environmental impacts on the surrounding area where arms of the gyratory are to be closed and/or roadspace reduced,
  • Incorporates permeable surfaces, green space and trees to bring amenity, cooling, biodiversity and air filtration benefits and to reduce surface water runoff, particularly to St. Luke’s Estate (which is within a Local Flood Risk Zone and is at risk of significant/extreme flooding), and
  • Is coordinated with current and future plans of utility providers to provide wider infrastructural improvements and minimise short-term disruption.

B) Buildings of high quality architectural design which:

  • Relate positively to each other,
  • Improve the character, quality and identity of the area,
  • Demonstrate a scale and massing that responds to adjacent public spaces and street widths and enhances street level views of recognised and historic landmarks in the area,
  • Conserve and enhance heritage assets, and
  • Respect the existing urban grain and, wherever possible, seek to repair lost urban grain.

C. For sites surrounding and fronting onto the Old Street roundabout:

  • New buildings should be of high architectural quality, reflecting the gateway location.
  • Buildings of over 30 metres in height may be appropriate where they fulfil the criteria set out in Policy BC9.
  • New buildings should explore opportunities to provide direct basement access to and from the underground station (subject to agreement with London Underground Ltd).

D) New buildings adjacent to the Grade I listed Bunhill Fields Cemetery should exhibit a scale, massing and design which enhances its heritage value, and should also incorporate design measures that enhance the biodiversity value of adjacent areas.

E) A range of retail, leisure or community facilities on ground floor frontages facing Old Street and City Road, and small-scale units and kiosks within the underground station, in order to create activity and vibrancy.

F) Expansion of existing/planned Decentralised Energy networks into the area, and/or the creation of new network(s) connecting two or more developments or existing buildings. One large or several smaller energy centres may need to be provided in the area to support the network(s).

G) The redevelopment of low density and underused buildings and car parking areas for housing on the Redbrick Estate, incorporating like-for-like reprovision of community facilities that are in active use, improved pedestrian connections between Bath Street and St. Luke’s Gardens, enhanced amenity green spaces with nature conservation value, and improvements to existing buildings and front gardens on the estate.

H) On the Redbrick Estate, and adjacent to the St. Luke’s High Rise Estate, buildings and spaces must be designed in a way that ensures a high standard of amenity for existing residents, including noise and privacy.

I) Residential development fronting directly onto City Road (north) and Old Street roundabout will be discouraged, unless it can be demonstrated that a high standard of amenity can be achieved, by reducing exposure to air and noise pollution, and through the on-site provision of adequate public and private amenity and play space.

J) Telecommunications cabinets servicing the fibre optic cable network and which provide superfast broadband to local businesses will be allowed where these do not restrict pedestrian movement and are sited and designed to minimise visual impacts. Where cabinets are visible to pedestrians, the use of such cabinets for historic interpretation, public art or wayfinding may be sought through conditions.

For more information please see the Local Plan