Policy information sourced from the Islington Development Management Policies

DM4.4 Promoting Islington’s Town Centres

The council will seek to maintain and enhance the retail and service function of Islington’s four Town Centres, which are designated on the Policies Map and shown on Maps 4.1 to 4.4.

A) Applications for more than 80m2 of floorspace for uses within the A Use Classes, D2 Use Class and for Sui Generis main Town Centre uses should be located within designated Town Centres. Where suitable locations within Town Centres are not available, Local Shopping Areas or edge-of-centre sites should be chosen. Where this is not possible, out-of-centre sites may be acceptable where:

  • Alternative sites within Town Centres, Local Shopping Areas and edge-of-centre locations have been thoroughly investigated;
  • the development would not individually, or cumulatively with other development, have a detrimental impact on the vitality and viability of Town Centres and Local Shopping Areas within Islington or in adjacent boroughs, or prejudice the prospect for further investment needed to safeguard their vitality and viability; and
  • the development would be accessible to all by a sustainable choice of means of transport, and would not prejudice the overall aim of reducing the need to travel.

B) For applications proposing more than 80m2 of floorspace within the A Use Classes, D2 Use Class and for Sui Generis main Town Centre uses within the Central Activities Zone, Part A does not apply. Applications for such uses within the Central Activities Zone must demonstrate that:

  • the development would not individually, or cumulatively with other development, have a detrimental impact on the vitality and viability of Town Centres within Islington or in adjacent boroughs, or prejudice the prospect for further investment needed to safeguard their vitality and viability;
  • proposed uses can be accommodated without adverse impact on amenity; and
  • the proposal would support and complement existing clusters of similar uses within or adjacent to the Central Activities Zone, particularly important retail frontages.

C) Development within designated Town Centres is required to:

  • be appropriate to the scale, character and function of the centre;
  • contribute positively to the vitality and viability of the centre;
  • promote a vibrant and attractive place;
  • respect and enhance the heritage, character and local distinctiveness of the centre;
  • provide a variety of different sized retail units;
  • meet the council’s policies on Inclusive Design; and
  • not cause detrimental disturbance from noise, odour, fumes or other environmental harm.

D) The Change of Use of ground floor units from main Town Centre uses (e.g. A Use Classes, D2 Use Class and Sui Generis main Town Centre uses) to other uses (particularly residential use) within Town Centres will be generally resisted. However, this may be deemed acceptable outside any designated Primary and Secondary Frontages, where:

  • the premises has been vacant for a continuous period of at least 2 years and continuous marketing evidence for this 2 year vacancy is provided which demonstrates that there is no realistic prospect of the unit being used in its current use in the foreseeable future;
  • the use of the unit for residential purposes is consistent with the role and function of the street or space;
  • high quality dwellings with a high standard of residential amenity would be provided, consistent with other policies and standards relating to housing and design; and
  • the Change of Use will not cause adverse impacts on any sections of undesignated frontage that are contiguous with designated Primary and Secondary Frontages.

E) Supplementary planning documents (SPDs) will be produced to provide the detail of the vision for the Town Centres. These documents will guide development, the type of land uses, size and type of shops that should be promoted and/or would be acceptable in different areas of the Town Centre. These SPDs will also help coordinate improvements between different agencies, enhance public realm and access, and protect and support local shops.

For more information please see the Islington Development Management Policies