Chapel Market improvements consultation

Background

The council consulted on proposed improvements to Chapel Market – one of Islington’s best loved and traditional markets - from 13 February to 10 March 2023.

As well as boosting footfall by making the market more welcoming, attractive and easier for local people and visitors to get around, we also want to make it a better place for local traders to do business. Among the benefits we proposed were

• a new community space for events
• new outdoor seating
• more trees and planting
• improved facilities for traders
• changes to parking with flexible bays for parking and loading.

Read more about the Chapel Market improvement plans.

We spoke to both local people, businesses and traders to inform these ideas. We are grateful to everyone who shared their views. Read our overview of the consultation process and the feedback we received.

Consultation process 

During the consultation, we distributed leaflets to local households, market traders and businesses and promoted our online survey form. Council officers also made door to door visits to 32 businesses on Chapel Market where they completed paper questionaires.
   
We received a total of 166 responses to the online and paper questionnaire.

• 44 were from businesses
• 41 from residents living on or near Chapel Market
• 48 from people living in other parts of Islington and visitors from further away
• 33 respondents did not state where they lived.

Resident and visitor feedback

• 40 per cent gave no additional comments or suggestions, or were neutral in their feelings about the proposals.
• 40 per cent gave a generally positive response to the proposals.
• 20 per cent of respondents gave negative comments, mostly focused around the cleanliness of the existing market. This is an issue the council’s waste and street trading teams are working on.

Many respondents suggested other things they would like to see in the market. The most common request was increasing the number and variety of stalls - and more food stalls specifically - and seating. 

The council received some concerns from residents about the proposed pedestrianisation of Chapel Place, especially about there being enough parking and loading on Chapel Market. In response, we have included an extra bay in the final designs. 

Feedback from businesses

• 44 businesses responded to the survey providing data on loading times which we have used to plan the parking and loading bays.
• Eight businesses had concerns about changes to parking and loading impacting on deliveries and customers being able to access their business. In response, the council will look at the option of providing an extra loading bay on Baron Street.
• Businesses also raised concerns about dangerous cycling, anti-social behaviour, waste and cleaning. 

The council has analysed the loading data provided by businesses together with the parking survey to decide on the final layout of parking and loading bays.

Feedback from statutory consultees 

We received no objections to the proposals from statutory consultees. Ward councillors were also all supportive of the scheme and proposals. 

Commonly asked questions

Read questions that came up during the consultation and our responses.

What will happen to the market during the works? 

Works will be broken down into short phases to minimise impact on businesses and pedestrians and to ensure the market can stay open for business throughout the project. Works will begin in spring 2023 in Chapel Place and then move onto the eastern entrance of the market before proceeding west. This sequence is designed to avoid damaging the newly paved areas. Directions to relocated pitches will be clearly signposted. The works should be finished by December 2024 in time for the busy Christmas period at the market.

What are the proposed parking changes? 

A Restricted Parking Zone is proposed, which will mean that beyond the hours that a pedestrian and cycle zone is enforced on Chapel Market, parking and loading is only permitted in marked bays.  
 
We have monitored parking levels on Chapel Market to inform our proposals, and based on these findings, we are confident we can provide enough space for residents and local businesses to continue to park when the market is closed.  
 
The restricted parking zone will include the full length of Chapel Market, Grant Street (up to the car park entrance), Chapel Place, White Conduit Street (southern half) and Baron Street (northern half), North West Place.  
 
The proposal includes a combination of 11 parking and loading bays. The bays will be provided at various locations to ensure that businesses across the market have sufficient access to loading facilities.

When and how will the parking changes be implemented?

The changes to the parking will be introduced under an Experimental Traffic Order (ETO) in spring 2023.The main benefit of ETOs is that they allow the council and the public to assess the impact of the scheme once they have practical experience of its effect. The council can then make changes, if necessary, before changes are made permanent.  Any person may object to the provisions of the ETO within a period of six months from the day on which the ETO comes into force – this will be 27 October 2023.  

What about pedestrianising Chapel Place?

Proposals state that bollards will be introduced to restrict all vehicle access at the entrance to Chapel Place. Smaller deliveries can still be made on foot from vehicles parked elsewhere in the area, and delivery drivers that need access will be able to park in loading and parking bays located close by Chapel Place on Chapel Market. Residents will be able to use parking bays located on Chapel Market.

What can the council do to improve the cleanliness of Chapel Market? 

The project team are working with the council’s waste team and market traders to look at how we can improve the waste management and street cleaning.   

How will the flexible space proposed for the middle of the market between Chapel Place and Baron Street be used? 

The council is keen to designate a flexible space that can be used in a variety of ways to bring more people into the market. The council has recently appointed a Markets Development Manager who will work with local organisations, businesses and traders to decide on the best way to utilise and animate this space to boost footfall. 

Why are you doing these works over the summer? 

The works will start after King Charles III's Coronation celebrations in May and will finish before Christmas to ensure the market can make the most of its busiest time of year. The market will remain open for business throughout the year and all traders and pitches will be temporarily relocated further down Chapel Market during the construction works.

External funding requirements also mean the works need to be completed before March 2024 and the better weather over the summer means the works are more likely to keep to the proposed timeframe.

Who will maintain the planting and trees?

Trial pits have been dug in the locations where trees are proposed to check for utilities. We’ll use a root barrier to prevent the tree roots from interfering with utilities as they grow. This should also assist with avoiding tree removal when maintenance work happens on utilities within the vicinity of the trees in the future. A maintenance contract will be put in place to maintain the trees once installed.