We’ve identified 5 ‘Placemaking Areas’ where we think there is the greatest potential for providing new community and civic facilities and places to spend time that will help transform Wood Green.
Cultural quarter
Often hidden away from view, the Cultural Quarter is an ecosystem of creative businesses, some with a global reach.
We can boost the role all creative businesses play in Wood Green and make culture more accessible through activity on council-owned sites, and more visible by making public spaces and active ground floors that reflect what happens behind closed doors.
We can help deliver more employment and studio space to support existing businesses and encourage new ones to make Wood Green their home.
Council-owned sites, such as Mallard Place and Kingfisher Place, could be used to attract a Cultural Anchor to boost footfall and improve the profile of the area, creating a place for existing creative businesses to gather around, and a platform to reach out to the public.
By making an east-west link that connects the Cultural Quarter to the High Road we will help to increase visibility and accessibility to the area.
Library site
The library site is the heart of the high road with the potential to make a new, critically important, attractive link to the Cultural Quarter. Its highly visible, central location means it could be the public services hub of the borough, making a town centre people feel is useful and welcoming.
The library mall is a potential development site that could be used to house more public services (such as a new Customer Services Centre, or a leisure centre).
There is an opportunity to make new public spaces and new links by working with close neighbours such as Capital and Regional’s Wood Green Mall, and other council-owned sites in the area.
Station Road sites
The Station Road sites, along with the adjacent Arriva bus garage and Green Ridings House, offer the greatest potential for Wood Green to be ambitious and attract new economic growth to the area.
The site overlooks an important crossroads on routes to Alexandra Palace, Tottenham, the Civic Centre and Wood Green’s town centre and could act as a gateway on the route up to Alexandra Palace. There is the potential for several tall buildings for homes, business and other uses to support Wood Green’s growth, and space for a major new anchor institution, such as a university.
A new tree-lined area of public realm could offer respite from the summer sun and soften the character of the High Road and Station Road.
Civic Centre
The Civic Centre, along with George Meehan House, will be the heart of democratic and civic life in Haringey, and will embody a sense of civic pride. It will be a place for convening, public accountability, ceremony, and celebration, where residents and visitors will feel welcome.
The Civic Centre will house the majority of the council’s staff and will extend the footfall and economic activity of the High Road northwards. The greenery of the grounds will offer a haven from the more urban nature of the Town Centre.
High Road and Turnpike Lane
We will make the High Road and Turnpike Lane more welcoming by creating a network of high-quality public realm improvements for people to spend time in and relax.
This will involve creating new spaces as well as thinking how our existing public realm, such as the library forecourt, Lymington Avenue and Spouters Corner could work better for our residents.
We want our shared spaces to be cleaner and safer, and animated through a wider range of activities, with more trees, places to sit and rest, and watch performances. They will host a variety of events and public artworks, to reflect the many communities of Wood Green, and welcome all generations including our young people.
For Turnpike Lane and Ducketts Common this will mean celebrating its cultural heritage, international restaurants and food outlets.
We will support and improve our street markets and encourage a more diverse economy on the High Road so it can continue to thrive. We will make safer and more pleasant links to the wider borough, including Wood Green’s residential areas and Hornsey, so that walking and cycling is as convenient and pleasant as possible.
Join the conversation!
Shaping Wood Green is a continuing conversation. If you would like to be part of the journey and get involved in future discussions about the themes and placemaking areas, please email us and we will add you to the Shaping Wood Green contact list.
See the Shaping Wood Green engagement website for the latest news and updates.