We’ve listened to what you told us and have created 6 themes that reflect a shared idea of how to steer the changes that we can make.
Theme 1: making Wood Green a welcoming place
Lots of things go into making a place welcoming, and it starts with being clean and safe. So many people across our community work hard to improve how their street, neighbourhood or local park feels, yet we know that too many people feel unsafe or unwelcome as they move around Wood Green – especially young people, and especially after dark. We also know that the litter and waste made by some people, makes it hard for everyone else to fully enjoy their surroundings or take pride in where they live.
We want a Wood Green where people of all ages can enjoy spending time in their neighbourhood and where the public spaces people see around them are clean and well maintained.
We’ve heard clearly that people want to feel safe from the threat of violence and anti-social behaviour, and safe to walk or cycle along our streets.
The result should be a Wood Green that works for all its residents, that promotes more positive connections and cohesion between neighbours, and which lays the foundations for everything else we want to achieve.
Theme 2: culture at the heart of Wood Green
We want Wood Green to be a place where culture and creativity are woven into its fabric, enriching our residents’ lives and attracting visitors from other boroughs. Our residents say that they want to see more events and venues where they can enjoy music, performances and celebrate our diverse heritage and multicultural identity.
By protecting and promoting affordable workspace, we will help our creative industries grow, and make them a more visible part of Wood Green life by drawing activity from the Cultural Quarter into the town centre.
In partnership with the area’s creative organisations and community groups, we will deliver locally rooted cultural events and make Wood Green a great place to experience culture.
Open air performance, markets, and street food will breathe new life into our public spaces during the day and into the evening.
Theme 3: putting the green in Wood Green
Residents love our parks and green spaces but would like them to be improved – and for Wood Green’s streets to be greener.
We will introduce more trees, biodiversity, and sustainable drainage features into the public realm to green our streets and improve air quality. This will also support wildlife and help us adapt to the impacts of climate change such as flooding and overheating.
We will also get more out of our existing parks and green spaces for people and for the environment, making them into places that all residents can enjoy, where they can:
- exercise and play sport
- relax and unwind
- meet friends
- enjoy nature
Theme 4: living well
Wood Green residents already have many services and facilities nearby. We want to improve the quality, mix and accessibility to give more of our residents the support they need for a good life, day-to-day, here on their doorstep.
That means joined-up, easy-to-use and well-managed council services, policing, health services and community facilities. It means buildings and public spaces that are accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities, and ensuring our residents live in comfortable, habitable homes.
Wood Green will be a local hub that caters for more of our residents’ needs and interests, building on the new NHS Diagnostics Hub and Rising Green Youth Hub. There is a clear need for further investment in our directly delivered services in Wood Green and to be ambitious for the services we deliver, whether that’s a new library, customer services centre, or potentially a new leisure centre.
Theme 5: north London's town centre for all
Wood Green is a popular, well-established place to shop and eat. Like other town centres, it will need to adapt to changing trends in how people are shopping and using their high streets.
We want to build on Wood Green’s strengths. It can be a place that nurtures quality local businesses alongside big retailers, where independent food and drink businesses extend its appeal and make a more vibrant and safer town centre well into the evening.
Wood Green needs more diverse community, cultural and civic anchors – vital to its survival and revival – and this is happening already. A health hub, a leisure centre, a higher education institution and a cultural anchor could all be part of making Wood Green a richer destination to learn, socialise and to enjoy leisure and cultural activities.
Many residents would like to see more opportunities to inject further colour and character into our public realm, making buildings and public spaces attractive and enjoyable places to spend time - to play, watch performances or just eat a sandwich. It is also important that routes into and around Wood Green make walking and cycling as safe and appealing as possible.
Theme 6: an economy to benefit everyone
We want to make sure everything we do creates real benefits for local people by making the most of our council buildings and resources.
To make this happen, together, we’ll need energy, skills and investment from a range of partners. In many cases our role will be to enable collaboration, convening, facilitating, and connecting with others. We will make sure this always involves local people.
We will bring the right people together at the right time to build momentum, secure investment, develop projects and take practical actions that progress our shared vision. That could be our statutory partners at local and regional level; our businesses; and our voluntary and community sector partners – including those small community groups who make such a big contribution to life in Wood Green.
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.