What would you like to see change in Hackney Central?

Mission statements and Grand Challenge Survey

Grand Challenge and Missions survey: Have your say on the future of Hackney Central

Between October and December 2021, 1150 comments from people who live, work and use Hackney Central, informed us of their priorities for the next ten years in Hackney Central.In response to everything we have heard so far, we have proposed an overall Grand Challenge for Hackney Central, underpinned by five Missions.Please read about the missions below, and then have your say using the questions on the following page.

Grand Challenge

Hackney Central is changing. Our challenge is to ensure that this change makes the area fairer, safer and more sustainable, where everyone can expect a good quality of life. We will work together for the benefit of each other.&nbsp;

MISSION 1

Champion our Character: Hackney Central’s unique character is preserved and enhanced. The centre’s civic and cultural role for its diverse local communities is expanded and celebrated.

Action areas (areas of intervention):<ul><li>Unique heritage of Hackney Central</li><li dir="ltr">Hackney Central&rsquo;s 24-hour economy</li><li dir="ltr">Cultural programming</li><li dir="ltr">Spatial &amp; frontage improvements&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Reinvigorate high streets</li></ul>

MISSION 2

Wellbeing for All: Ensuring Hackney Central's communities feel safe and have access to the services, amenities and spaces they need to support their health and wellbeing.

Action areas (areas of intervention):<ul><li dir="ltr">Crime and ASB</li><li dir="ltr">New affordable homes&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Public spaces for the community to come together</li><li dir="ltr">Access to local healthy food</li><li dir="ltr">Spaces for young people&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Physical barriers to public space</li><li dir="ltr">Street space for civic life</li></ul>

MISSION 3

A Fair Economy: Supporting a sustainable and inclusive economy in Hackney Central which provides opportunities for local people and businesses

Action areas (areas of intervention):<ul><li dir="ltr">Jobs and skills development&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Support and spaces for businesses&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Community organisations and economic need&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Green economy and Businesses adaption</li><li dir="ltr">Circular economy principles</li></ul>

MISSION 4

Green & Resilient: Implementing measures to help fight against the effects of climate change, move towards zero carbon, improve biodiversity and reduce waste.

Action areas (areas of intervention):<ul><li>Noise and Air Pollution</li><li>Green, zero carbon and plastic-free consumer choices</li><li>Zero-carbon commercial activity&nbsp;</li><li>Green-infrastructure network&nbsp;</li><li>Growing spaces&nbsp;</li><li>Retrofitted buildings&nbsp;</li><li>Decarbonised heat-network&nbsp;</li></ul>

MISSION 5

Developing Well: Co-creation and social impact drive a better approach to development and investment in Hackney Central.

Action areas (areas of intervention):<ul><li dir="ltr">Use of public sector assets&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Co-creation principles in development&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Enabling community stewardship&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Local opportunities in development&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Transparency and tracking socio-environmental impact.</li></ul>

Have your say

<h3>Please let us know if you agree with the Hackney Central plan Grand Challenge and Missions:</h3>

Please click the &#39;next&#39; button below to submit your responses. After you&#39;ve done that, please visit the &#39;<a href="https://hcc.commonplace.is/map/hackney-central-map" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hackney Central Map</a>&#39; page - if the missions made you think of a specific solution, add your suggestions to our interactive map.<a href="https://hcc.commonplace.is/map/hackney-central-map" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/v1643368412/projects/hneht7x0xwimxdxnrcmf.png" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></a>If you want to tell us what you think in person, we&#39;ll be at the Narrow Way on Sunday 30 January 2022 between 11am-2pm.

What is the Hackney Central plan? Find out here

About the project

<h1 dir="ltr">What is the Hackney Central plan?</h1>The Hackney Central plan will include:<ul><li dir="ltr">A new regeneration strategy for the next ten years</li><li dir="ltr">Updated planning guidance for the town centre</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr">A new regeneration strategy</h3>The new regeneration strategy, called the Town Centre Strategy, will create a ten-year vision for Hackney Central. It will set out how the Council intends to work with the local community and partners to deliver on the priorities identified in the Hackney Central Conversation and ensure a fair recovery from the coronavirus pandemic in the long term.An <a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://news.hackney.gov.uk/expert-team-appointed-to-support-councils-fair-recovery-pledge-for-hackney-central/">expert team of design, architecture, and regeneration specialists has been appointed</a> by Hackney Council to support the Council to develop the strategy.Through engagement with residents, community groups, and businesses in Hackney Central, the Town Centre Strategy will ensure the local community are the first to benefit from physical, social, and cultural changes during the next decade &ndash; and that economic growth is inclusive, building on the town centre&rsquo;s qualities and strengths.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/v1634297139/projects/gboywlyzhz3jxlxokua3.jpg" style="width: 45%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h3 dir="ltr">Updated planning guidance&nbsp;</h3>The Hackney Central supplementary planning document (SPD) provides dedicated guidance about how new developments and changes to public spaces in Hackney Central can be managed to ensure that it reflects the specific circumstances of the local area, the needs of the town centre, and priorities of local people.The current guidance, adopted in 2017, will be updated to ensure it reflects the changing circumstances in Hackney Central and the new borough-wide Local Plan &ndash; the planning document guiding new development across Hackney &ndash; which was adopted in 2020. &nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/v1634297214/projects/nc0ugfajafzo7jrxxoqu.jpg" style="width: 45%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">

Please read the missions on the 'Mission statements and Grand Challenge Survey' page, and then let us know if you have any ideas for what you would like to see in Hackney Central. If the missions made you think of a specfic solution, add your suggestions to our interactive map.

Hackney Central Map

Want to help shape the Hackney Central plan?

Take the<a href="https://hcc.commonplace.is/proposals/missions-and-grand-challenge/step1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;Grand Challenge and Missions Survey!</a>Leave a project idea for Hackney Central on our <a href="https://hcc.commonplace.is/map/hackney-central-map?layers=Mapbox%20Base,Contributions,Custom%204258,Custom&lat=51.54150421639031&lng=-0.054545402526855455&z=14">interactive map!</a>

Previous engagement  

Between 16 October and 23 November 2021, 570 respondents who live, work and use Hackney Central, informed us of their&nbsp;priorities for the next ten years in Hackney Central through our reconfirming priorities survey. We will issue a full report on the reconfirming priorities survey here in January 2022.&nbsp;The top ten priorities identified by respondents were:&nbsp;<ol><li dir="ltr">More trees and planting</li><li dir="ltr">Tackling dangerous junctions</li><li dir="ltr">Improving the poor quality of the built environment/maintaining heritage assets</li><li dir="ltr">Increased cultural activities</li><li dir="ltr">Preventing drug dealing/drug use</li><li dir="ltr">Improving cycling, cycling infrastructure (i.e. dedicated cycles lanes)</li><li dir="ltr">Preventing other anti-social behaviour such as playing loud music and littering</li><li dir="ltr">Preventing public urination</li><li dir="ltr">Limiting general traffic and air quality</li><li dir="ltr">Improving green spaces</li></ol>We would also like to thank everyone who joined us at our pop up co-delivered neighbourhood events so far which were held at:<ul><li dir="ltr">Town Hall Square on Wednesday 10 November.</li><li dir="ltr">Bohemia Place Market on Friday 12 November.</li><li dir="ltr">Mare Street (Beck Road), 21 November.</li><li dir="ltr">Diddy&#39;s Cafe on Wednesday 17 November.&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Broadway Market on Sunday 21 November.</li><li dir="ltr">Behind this Wall, Narrow Way, 24 November.</li><li dir="ltr">St Augustine&#39;s Tower just off the narrow way, 28 November, 2-4 pm.</li><li dir="ltr">Pembury Community Centre, 4th December, 12-2 pm.&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">The Narrow Way, 30th January, 11-2PM.</li></ul>The key priorities discussed at these events were:<ul><li dir="ltr">Retaining Hackney Central-ness/character</li><li dir="ltr">Safety in the Town Centre&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Quality of life and caring about each other</li><li dir="ltr">Inequality and fairness/ Affordability and stability</li><li dir="ltr">Safer and more attractive walking, cycling and public transport routes</li><li dir="ltr">Traffic and pollution on main roads</li><li dir="ltr">Sustainability/climate</li><li dir="ltr">Amenities and support for children and young people</li><li dir="ltr">Improved public realm and wayfinding</li><li dir="ltr">Increasing employment opportunities and support for local businesses</li></ul>In response to everything we have heard so far, we have proposed an overall Grand Challenge for Hackney Central, underpinned by five Missions.You can respond to this draft vision by <a href="https://hcc.commonplace.is/proposals/missions-and-grand-challenge/step1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">taking the survey now.</a>

Your Hackney Central plan questions answered

Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Hackney Central plan?&nbsp;In 2019, more than 2,000 people took part in the Hackney Central Conversation &ndash; a widespread engagement exercise that let local residents, organisations and businesses tell us what&rsquo;s good about Hackney Central, the challenges they experience, and the changes they would like to see made in the area.The Hackney Central plan is our plan to deliver on the views and priorities identified by the local community and turn this feedback into action.

What will the Hackney Central plan look like?A key part of the Hackney Central plan will be a new Town Centre Strategy, which will outline projects and activities that can deliver on the priorities set out in the Hackney Central conversation and proposals for how the Council, its partners and the local community can work together to deliver these over the next ten years.This will be complemented by updated planning guidance for the Hackney Central area, &nbsp;which will be set out in a refreshed Hackney Central &amp; Surrounds Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

Why do we need a Hackney Central plan?Hackney Central holds a special place in the borough. As well as being Hackney&rsquo;s physical centre and a key transport hub, it&rsquo;s the civic and cultural heart of the borough, being home to iconic buildings like Hackney Town Hall and the Hackney Empire, and the historic high street along Mare Street and the Narrow Way.In recent years Hackney Central has welcomed more new homes, jobs and workspaces, as well as becoming a more popular place to visit with a growing range of shops and nightlife venues. More change is on the way, with the Council aiming to create 1,000 new jobs and 3,000 new homes to help meet the demands of a growing borough, centred around investment in transport infrastructure and improving public spaces.With different landowners and organisations, the Council can&rsquo;t dictate all this change. But we will use all the tools we have to safeguard what the community values most, support businesses to continue thriving in a changing economy, and ensure local people are the first to benefit from the changes taking place.The Hackney Central plan will look to achieve this, in line with the priorities of local people, businesses and organisations.

What areas does the Hackney Central plan cover?The Hackney Central plan will cover a wide area reaching Hackney Downs in the north, the Regents Canal in the south, London Fields in the west and Well Street in the east, and we are welcoming input from residents, businesses and organisations across the area.Once adopted, the planning guidance incorporated within the Hackney Central plan will define areas where the new rules will apply.

Why is planning guidance being updated?&nbsp;The current dedicated planning guidance for Hackney Central, the Hackney Central and Surrounds SPD was adopted in 2017. &nbsp;We&rsquo;re updating this to ensure it reflects the changing circumstances in Hackney Central and the new borough-wide Local Plan &ndash; the planning document guiding new development across Hackney &ndash; which was adopted in 2020. &nbsp;

How will my views shape the Hackney Central plan, and how do I get involved?Between October 2021 to January 2022 we will be engaging with local communities to inform the &nbsp;Hackney Central plan, focussing on developing the new town centre strategy.We are also planning dedicated consultation on the updated Hackney Central and Surrounds Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) and expect to provide more detail later this year.Everything we hear from you will inform both the Town Centre Strategy and Supplementary &nbsp;Planning Document update.&nbsp;

Reconfirming priorities survey

<h3 dir="ltr">What would you like to see improved in Hackney Central?&nbsp;</h3>In 2019, the Hackney Central Conversation saw 2,000 people share their views on the future of the area, which helped the Council gain a better insight into local needs and priorities.<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VKIPxYO40xptZAQHA1gml2eOxapWp0Wj/view">Read the Hackney Central Conversation report.&nbsp;</a>Since then, the coronavirus pandemic has significantly changed how people work and live.&nbsp;We need to know what you told us were your priorities in 2019 still apply, so we can work with you to build a fairer future in Hackney Central together and create a town centre that works for everyone.This survey closes Monday 23 November at midnight. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hackney Central Community Panel

The Hackney Central Community Panel of local residents, businesses and community organisations, sits bi-monthly and will build on the Hackney Central Conversation to ensure that the changes taking place meet the priorities of the local community.We hope that the Panel will act as a mechanism for conversation, idea development and updates, and inspire a collective sense of custodianship for the future for Hackney Central. The ambition for the Panel is to support the Council in ensuring forthcoming changes around Hackney Central &ndash; including initiatives to help people get around, the future of important Council-owned sites in the town centre, and changes to local planning rules to control new developments &ndash; meet the priorities of the local community. We are partnering with members of the Hackney Central Community Panel to bring Hackney Central plan engagement opportunities to your neighbourhood between November and January 2022. Look out for opportunities to have your say be following updates posted here.&nbsp;

Here you can view people's comments on moving around Hackney Central. 

Your 2019 comments on Moving Around Hackney Central

<div data-testid="Container">The Council was previously awarded &pound;10m of funding from Transport for London through the Liveable Neighbourhood Scheme to transform Hackney Central by reducing traffic in the area and redesigning its three dangerous junctions &ndash; Pembury Circus, Mare Street/Graham Road and Mare Street/Morning Lane &ndash; to make them safer for cyclists, pedestrians and public transport users.Before the Council formally consulted on the Liveable Neighbourhood scheme, officers wanted to hear residents&#39; experiences of walking, cycling and accessing public transport in the area to feed into how we design the scheme.Although this funding stream has been paused by Transport for London as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, we have already undertaken work to look at how these measures can now be introduced.With new funding becoming available, we are reviewing these plans to see how the improvements can be delivered and will engage with residents on these plans.Feedback and analysis of the Moving around Hackney Central engagement will be used to inform this.</div><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1561643920/projects/hcc/cropped35-cropped109-IMG_0992.png" class="fr-fic fr-dii">

View your comments on Moving Around Hackney Central

In this map you can view respondent's comments against the pinpoint locations in the area.

ARCHIVE: your 2019 comments to the Hackney Central map

View your comments to the Hackney Central map

Hackney Council launched the Hackney Central Conversation in July 2019 so local people could tell us what they love about Hackney Central, the challenges they experience, and what changes they would like to see the council make in the area.In this map you can view respondent&#39;s comments against the pinpoint locations in the area.<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VKIPxYO40xptZAQHA1gml2eOxapWp0Wj/view">Read the Hackney Central Conversation 2019 Report here</a> <div class="map"><iframe width="100%" frameborder="0" height="500" src="https://hccmap.commonplace.is/projectMap"></iframe> <div style="display: flex;"><a href="https://hccmap.commonplace.is/comments" style="font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.42857; color: #777; text-decoration: none; margin-left: 10px;" target="_blank">View larger map</a> <a href="https://www.commonplace.is" style="margin-left: auto;" target="_blank"><img width="150px" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/v1594390595/Commonplace/commonplace-logo-horizontal-rgb.png" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></a></div></div>

Young voices shape the Hackney Central plan

<div data-testid="ProposalSectionRender" id="isPasted"><div data-testid="Container"><h2>Want to help shape the Hackney Central plan?</h2>Take the<a href="https://hcc.commonplace.is/proposals/missions-and-grand-challenge/step1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;Grand Challenge and Missions Survey!</a></div></div><div data-testid="ProposalSectionRender"><div data-testid="Container">Leave a project idea for Hackney Central on our <a href="https://hcc.commonplace.is/map/hackney-central-map?layers=Mapbox%20Base,Contributions,Custom%204258,Custom&lat=51.54150421639031&lng=-0.054545402526855455&z=14">interactive map!</a></div></div>

YOUNG residents have played a crucial role in the Council&rsquo;s engagement exercise with people who live, work or regularly visit Hackney Central to help create a 10-year plan for the future of the area.&nbsp;Hackney Youth Parliament members took some photos of Hackney Central, describing what they would like to care for, challenge and call out.&nbsp;They were then tasked with thinking about the possible solutions to opportunities and challenges in Hackney Central and, in response to their own photos, pose some innovative ideas for the Council.&nbsp;This is part of a wider engagement exercise where around 1,150 comments were made on the future of Hackney Central, between October and December last year, through public events, online surveys, one-to-one conversations and small workshops.&nbsp;The feedback gathered has built on the Hackney Central Conversation in 2019, which saw a further 2,000 people share their views for the area.&nbsp;The Hackney Central plan will use the priorities set by the local community to create a shared vision for Hackney Central and a plan for how to get there.&nbsp;This aims to shape change in the growing &nbsp;town centre to safeguard what local people &nbsp;value most and support local businesses to continue thriving in a &nbsp;changing landscape.