News

Canonbury Society views on the Proposal for A Gypsy and Traveller Site at Pleasant Place 

The Canonbury Society recently provided feedback on the Council’s Draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan – Sites and Policies (regulation 18), with a focus on the specific proposal for Pleasant Place Garden adjoining the Canonbury Conservation Area. 

  1. Whilst we acknowledge that the Council has a statutory duty to meet the needs of Gypsies and Travellers, the suggested nine potential sites are all very small and total just 1.08 acres. Of these nine potential sites, four can each accommodate two permanent pitches and the remaining five can each support just one permanent pitch. Bearing in mind the importance of community, shared culture and lifestyle to this group, we would have thought that none of the identified potential sites are appropriate owing to their limitations of accommodating one or two pitches only. Surely much larger sites outside the borough would be more appropriate. 
  2. In terms of the specific proposal for Pleasant Place Garden, we are concerned that the setting of the eight Grade II Listed dwellings adjoining the garden as well as the nearby Grade II Islington South Library will be affected adversely by the proposed traveller site. The proposal does not include sufficient information about how the new site will respect the character and historic integrity of the Cross Street Conservation Area and the adjoining Canonbury Conservation Area. 
  3. Pleasant Place Garden comprises only 350 square metres or 0.86 acres and potentially could accommodate one permanent pitch. Since Travellers usually live as a community and not in isolation, Pleasant Place Garden is surely too small to fulfil its proposed function?
  4. The Council itself has recognised the importance of the garden as an amenity space as evidenced by the relatively recent tree planting. 
  5. We are concerned that if the proposal is permitted, it will serve as a regrettable precedent for removing land use protections applicable to Public Green Spaces and eroding conservation guidelines and principles. 
  6. We understand the need to provide safe and suitable housing for members of the Traveller Community but to lose a much-loved public park within the Cross Street Conservation Area to this potential change of use is not appropriate. As it is, the Borough of Islington has the least green space and parks in London due to its extreme density and lowest ratio of open space to built-up areas. Reducing more green space is both unfair and unacceptable. 
  7. It is difficult to reconcile the council’s restrictive-car policies with its willingness to allow spaces for a car and a touring caravan, and also adding a new dropped kerb. 
  8. We note that under Policy GTSP1, allocated sites with the greatest pitch capacity will be prioritised for delivery over sites with less pitch capacity.

In conclusion, we are of the view that in this case, the potential change of use from a public garden to Gypsy and Traveller site is inappropriate. 

One more general issue is that the Council has provided no information on the cost to the taxpayers of installing and maintaining the required facilities (toilets etc) and utilities (electricity, water and sewerage) on the site. Nor whether users will pay rent, the cost of utilities or council tax.  Also are “gypsies and travellers” self-identified so that anyone with a mobile home can turn up or will the Council check that users are genuine “gypsies or travellers”?  These issues do of course apply to all prospective sites and not just Pleasant Place. 

For more information about the local plan, visit https://www.islington.gov.uk/planning/planning-policy/islington-local-plan/gypsy-and-traveller-local-plan-review. 

Crime prevention in Canonbury

Canonbury ward panel meetings provide an opportunity for residents to meet informally with councillors, the Safer Neighbourhood Team and Community Safety officers to discuss issues of concern and assist police in setting resourcing priorities. While Canonbury ward has among the lowest rates of crime in Islington, there have been instances of drug dealing, car theft, phone snatching, anti-social behaviour and break-ins. The Canonbury Society is represented at quarterly Canonbury ward panel meetings. 

All residents are welcome to attend the next panel meeting on Monday 27th April 2026, 6pm – 7pm at the Rose Bowl, Ramsey Walk, N1 2PT. Information about future meeting dates and venues is available via telephone 020 7354 3524 or email rosebowl@isledon.co.uk    

Residents are encouraged to be vigilant and to report any incidents of crime or suspicious activity. Emergencies should be reported by phone to the police on 999 and non-emergencies on 101. You can also report anonymously to Crimestoppers online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling 0800 555 111. Anti-social behaviour can reported to Islington Council on 020 7527 7272 or online via www.islington.gov.uk/reportASB

Further support is provided through Met Engage, a service provided by the Metropolitan Police: www.metengage.co.uk.  When you join Met Engage, you’ll receive alerts about local crime, incidents and appeals, advice to help keep you, your family and your community safe, news from your local police officers, warnings about scams and frauds, invitations to community meetings and events and chances to share your concerns and help shape local policing.

Islington Police also offer assistance with bike and phone marking, and opportunities to speak with officers on ‘walk and talks’ in the area. There is further information about crime prevention and Canonbury West Neighbourhood Watch at www.ourwatch.org.uk 

–Rachael Henry

YOUR CALL COUNTS

When you notice something unusual or suspicious, no matter how trivial it may seem, phone it in. Your vigilance and action will help reduce criminal activity and anti-social behaviour in your community.

Response Service is available Sunday to Thursday nights from 4pm to 2am, and Friday and Saturday nights from 5pm to 4am.

If you are concerned about a young person, call 020 7527 7400 or email  csctreferrals@islington.gov.uk

Text crime or incidents on your train or at your station to 61016 (British Transport Police)

Produced by the Canonbury West Neighbourhood Watch Team 

West Canonbury LTN

The Council decided on 24 February 2023 to make the Experimental Traffic Order permanent. It came into effect the following day.  The report from the Council justifying the decision can be found here.

The fact that the order has been made permanent does not mean that it cannot be changed in future, merely that the procedure will be slower and more complicated – including fuller consultation perhaps. But to be realistic a major change is highly unlikely as LTNs are not just an Islington Council policy but also reflect the London Mayor’s transport strategy and the Government’s policy on reducing carbon emissions. The Government’s aim, set out in their huge document: Net Zero: Building back better is that ‘half of all journeys in urban areas will be cycled or walked by 2030’ and they say that they will spend £2billion to deliver ‘thousands of miles of safe, continuous routes for cycling in towns and cities…along with more low traffic neighbourhoods and school streets’.

Moreover, as we are so close to the traffic congestion of Highbury Corner and St Paul’s Road, if the LTN were to be removed the volume of traffic cutting through Canonbury would be substantial.

We are therefore not against the LTN in principle as it helps protect us from rat-runs. But we are against the LTN in its present form. This was the view expressed by most members in our survey that finished in December 2021. We asked for modifications and a fuller justification as well as pointing out some defects of the current scheme. (See recent correspondence with the Council below.)

Council’s Liveable Neighbourhood for Barnsbury scheme

The Society has been following the Council’s Liveable Neighbourhood for Barnsbury scheme closely. Further on driving within Islington will have an impact on the traffic around Highbury Corner and Canonbury. In October 2025 it was disclosed that over £600,000 has been spent on consultation.  For more on this click here. 

Blue badge holders

The Order now exempts blue badge holders from the restrictions in our own neighbourhood with limited exemptions in other LTN areas. We think this is too restrictive.  We shall continue to press for blue badge holders to be exempt throughout the borough and the whole of London.

Correspondence with Islington Council regarding LTNs

  1. Our comments and people’s experiences of the LTN sent to the council on 28 January 2022 and be read here and on 4 February 2022 can be ready here.
  2. You can view the Council response to our objections here.
  3. You can read the letter sent to Cllr Champion on 16 May 2022 here
  4. And letter sent to Cllr Champion on 7 September 2022 here

Results of Traffic Survey I from December 2020

We conducted a survey on the LTN in December 2020 and you can see the results here. 

Locally Listed Buildings in the Canonbury Conservation Area

More than 80 sites in the Canonbury Conservation Area are on the latest register of locally listed buildings updated by The Islington Society. A ‘locally listed building’ is a building, structure or feature which, while not listed by the Secretary of State for its national importance, is felt by the Council to be of local importance due to its architectural, historical or environmental significance. The purpose of the local list is to ensure that care is taken over decisions affecting the future of these buildings, and that their special status is taken fully into account.

To view the Canonbury Society list, click here. For the full register of locally listed buildings in Islington, visit click here. The Canonbury Society, The Islington Society and other volunteers have compiled lists of potential sites to be added to the local listings, but no action has been taken by the Council.

Canonbury West Neighbourhood Watch 

A group of Canonbury neighbours has set up a local Neighbourhood Watch scheme to help protect the area and provide information on how to report crime and antisocial behaviour.  For further information go to www.ourwatch.org.uk, click on ‘Find my local scheme’, enter your postcode into the search box, and then select Canonbury West.

Report anything that looks suspicious!

Islington’s Greenspace team have provided contact numbers to ring if you see anything in the Canonbury Square parks that worries you, call Parks Patrol on 07970 893588. This is a two-person team with dogs that work during day-light hours and after-dark. They work closely with the police. You can also call the Anti-social Behaviour team on 0207 527 7272. This team works with Parks Patrol and typically deals with threatening and drunken behaviour.

ALERT: Catalytic converter thefts from cars in Canonbury

Please be aware that thieves operating in the Canonbury area are stealing catalytic converters from parked cars. For tips on how to protect your car, please click on this link.