One of north London’s most popular town centres is set to become greener, more welcoming and a hub for culture thanks to a new plan developed by Haringey Council in partnership with local residents.
Shaping Wood Green, a new document which was given approval by the council’s cabinet on Tuesday, sets out a vision for improving Wood Green and meeting the needs of local people. Its six key themes are:
Making Wood Green a welcoming place through public realm improvements.
Bringing culture to the heart of Wood Green by working with partners to promote a wider range of cultural initiatives from public art to performances, street markets and community events.
Supporting people to live well by making council services more accessible and ensuring they meet residents’ needs.
Becoming North London’s town centre for all with more diverse retail and food offerings, a vibrant evening economy and a wider range of institutions.
Putting the green in Wood Green by maximising opportunities for greening our streets and public spaces, and making the most of our parks
Growing our economy to benefit everyone through attracting inward investment and promoting an inclusive and dynamic economy.
This vision was developed in partnership with local residents through Wood Green Voices, an extensive programme of engagement which gave residents and businesses in Wood Green the opportunity to highlight their priorities and make sure these were reflected in plans for the area.
Over 350 people took part via workshops, online surveys and face-to-face drop-in sessions, including several communities the council has not often spoken to before.
Wood Green Voices is one of the first projects to be delivered as part of the Haringey Deal, a new approach to working together with residents which the council unveiled in November 2022. Learning from this project will help to inspire future collaborative initiatives to help put residents at the heart of decision making on the issues and places that matter to them.
Cllr Ruth Gordon, Cabinet Member for Council House Building, Placemaking and Development, said:
“Wood Green is the economic heart of our borough. With amazing transport links and a unique retail and food offer, it is already one of North London’s most popular town centres – but we know it can be even more.
“That’s why we’ve been working in partnership with our residents to generate a new vision for Wood Green, and I’m really excited about the plans that we have developed together to create more welcoming and green spaces, attract more diverse businesses and rethink the way we deliver services in the area.
“I’d like to thank all the residents and businesses who took part in our Wood Green Voices project to help shape these plans, and I look forward to continuing to work together to make this vision a reality. Together we can make sure that Wood Green can reach its potential as an amazing place to live, learn and work.”