Policy information sourced from the Islington Core Strategy

CS 7 Bunhill and Clerkenwell

Employment development within Bunhill and Clerkenwell will contribute to a diverse local economy which supports and complements the central London economy. Employment-led development will be largely concentrated south of Old Street and Clerkenwell Road, but also encouraged in other parts of the area particularly along major routes (Farringdon Road, Rosebery Avenue, Goswell Road and City Road). Creative industries and Small/Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which have historically contributed significantly to the area, will be supported and encouraged. Accommodation for small enterprises will be particularly encouraged.

Bunhill and Clerkenwell has a diversity of assets related to leisure, culture and the arts, which will be encouraged and supported. Tourism-related development, including hotels, will be encouraged where consistent with Policy 14, to support the visitor economy. A number of local centres within the area are foci for shops, facilities and/or the evening economy (e.g. Exmouth Market, Whitecross Street, King Square/Central Street, Old Street, Farringdon Road/Cowcross Street/St. John Street, and City Road/Finsbury Square). These centres will be protected and enhanced in a manner that ensures their vitality and vibrancy, whilst safeguarding the amenity of neighbouring residential areas.

A number of notable education and medical institutions have a presence in the area, including City University London; City and Islington College; Moorfields Eye Hospital; and Queen Mary University of London. These institutions, many of which have historic ties to the area, make an important contribution to the local economy. The provision of additional non-residential university uses in the area is supported. The expansion of City University London uses, including additional student accommodation, will be supported on sites at Northampton Square and Bastwick Street, which will be designated and allocated for such uses in the Bunhill and Clerkenwell Area Action Plan.

The area is home to a significant residential community. Housing growth will be sought across the area to meet the needs of the current population and to cater for increased demand. A wider range of dwelling types, affordable tenures and family-sized homes will be encouraged to ensure that a mixed community can be accommodated. Improvements will be sought to three housing estates (Triangle, St. Luke’s high rise and Redbrick), with the aim of providing good quality housing in an improved local environment.

To meet the needs of the growing population improvements to community facilities will be sought. These will be met through the provision of improved, expanded or merged facilities focused in accessible places, such as neighbourhood centres. Better use will be made of underused land and buildings, including car parks and garage spaces, by transferring them into residential, local employment, community and/or open space use.

Much of the area has a rich character and is noted for its historic value. This is particularly true of Clerkenwell, which has a street pattern that dates from medieval times and contains surviving monastic precincts. But throughout Bunhill and Clerkenwell, a number of buildings, monuments, spaces and townscape attributes contribute positively to its character. This includes some locally important street level views to St. Paul’s Cathedral and other local landmarks. These historic and character-defining attributes will be protected and enhanced. In particular, improvements will be sought to the quality of views to St. Paul’s Cathedral and to the public spaces from which local views originate.

Crossrail and Thameslink will make Farringdon one of the most accessible parts of southeast England, creating significant development opportunities and pressures. Due to the historic nature of the Farringdon station area and adjacent areas, new development will face particular design constraints. The Farringdon station area also contains the Citigen power station, which provides heating and cooling to a number of buildings in Islington and the City of London and has potential for expansion. Adjacent development must be designed in a manner that allows the power station to function effectively and avoid localised air pollution.

Due to the constraints present in the Farringdon station area, employment and residential intensification will be sought over a wider area, rather than solely immediately adjacent to Farringdon station. To reinforce Farringdon as a destination any development must be well integrated within the public realm in order to create coherent urban form. To achieve this, pedestrian priority measures, new pedestrian and cycling routes through large city blocks and additional areas of public or semi-public space, including within the ground floor of proposed major buildings where appropriate, will be sought within, and adjacent to, this area to accommodate the significant increase in footfall following completion of the Thameslink and Crossrail schemes.

Mixed use development opportunities exist at Mount Pleasant, along City Road (north) and around the Old Street roundabout. Opportunities also exist around Central Street, which is a priority area for new and upgraded community facilities that complement its existing offer. Major development proposals within these areas and elsewhere should be of exceptional design quality, be in context with (or reinforce the character of) their surroundings and result in improvements to the street environment. The impact on local infrastructure, including public transport, will be a key consideration. Major development proposals will be required to improve the public realm, provide ample private/semi-private and public open space, incorporate space for nature, and must not result in detrimental microclimatic effects or overshadowing of existing residential buildings. This is necessary in order to address existing deficiencies in access to quality public open space and nature. Proposed uses and activities should be appropriate to the immediate context and help to achieve the council’s vision for the area.

Throughout the area, new buildings and spaces will be expected to reduce their environmental impact and make them adaptable to a changing climate. The Bunhill and Clerkenwell area is adversely affected by the Urban Heat Island Effect, and, as such, mitigation measures should be utilised to reduce the impact of new buildings and spaces on urban heating. The development of the Citigen decentralised energy network and complementary networks will be prioritised by new development contributing to their expansion (consistent with Core Strategy Policy 10 Part A).

To aid pedestrian circulation and increase the perception of public open space, improvements will be made to a number of pedestrian routes which link the area’s local parks. Increases in public space will be sought wherever possible, and by various means, including transferring under-used car parking areas, roads and void spaces into public use, and requiring new public space to be provided as part of major redevelopment. Specific improvements will be made to the pedestrian’s experience of Angel and Old Street gyratories by reducing the dominance of through-traffic. The latter will also incorporate improvements to the rail/tube station and bus stops, improving capacity as well as the passenger experience.

For more information please see the Core Strategy