Fairer, safer and more sustainable - Hackney Central plan approved
A new vision informed by the views of thousands of local people will put cultural activities, wellbeing, jobs and climate initiatives at the heart of Hackney Central’s future after being approved by the Council.
The Hackney Central Town Centre Strategy sets out a shared ten-year plan for a growing town centre expected to accommodate 1,000 new homes and 3,000 new jobs in the years ahead and see more than £19 million in Levelling Up Fund investment in public spaces and community facilities.
The strategy creates a vision to “ensure this change makes the area fairer, safer and more sustainable, where everyone can expect a good quality of life, where we work together for the benefit of each other”.
That ambition has been shaped by extensive engagement with residents and businesses in Hackney Central to ensure the local community is the first to benefit from this change and the area's unique character is protected. This included the Hackney Central Conversation, which saw 2,000 people share their priorities for the future of the area in 2019, more than 1,000 local people helping create the strategy, and the Hackney Central Community Panel.
We are confident that this bold new vision for Hackney Central will help fulfil our ambitions for the town centre that meet with the priorities of the community, set out by local people and businesses through extensive engagement involving thousands of people in recent years.
This is about ensuring our town centres continue to be focal points for making Hackney fairer, safer, healthier and more sustainable and ensuring people can expect a good quality of life. This plan sets out how we will achieve this, by working with local people and businesses to help steer positive changes in the town centre and ensure our long-term ambitions for Hackney Central can become a reality.
The Hackney Central Town Centre Strategy sets out a vision and path to create a more equitable place for the whole community. It has been a privilege to work so closely with residents, businesses and the council to understand how we can address the challenges of inequality and the climate emergency, whilst celebrating what makes Hackney special. Importantly, the Strategy includes a clear plan to monitor progress and ensure the community benefits from the projects being delivered.
These ambitions will be kickstarted by £19 million in Levelling Up funding (LUF) - investment confirmed earlier this year and agreed by the Council in April, which includes plans to create a greener Hackney Central in a currently traffic dominated town centre, with some of the borough’s worst air quality and three of the borough’s most dangerous junctions.
This funding will be invested in projects to improve streets and public spaces, reduce traffic and enhance heritage assets, including exploring plans to reduce traffic at Amhurst Road; redesign the dangerous Pembury Circus junction; create better public spaces at Hackney Town Hall Square and Bohemia Place, and provide a modern library facility and digital hub at Hackney Central library.
The LUF projects sit alongside a wide range of other initiatives the Council is bringing forward in Hackney Central coordinated by the Town Centre Strategy; from developing Council owned land to working with partners to improve public transport accessibility to the town centre. Read more below.
Any changes in Hackney Central will be developed and brought forward in partnership with the community, including the residents and businesses who will be most affected by these plans. The Council will ensure those local people who helped co-create the vision for Hackney Central will continue to drive its progress. As specific projects are developed, you can stay informed on how to get involved by signing up to the newsletter below.
Find out more
- What’s happening in Hackney Central
- Levelling-up Hackney Central
- Sign up to the newsletter and get involved in the changes