Marvin Street, Sylvester Road and Penpoll Road New pocket park and transport facilities

Overview

Hackney Central is changing

Big changes are coming to Hackney Central, which will mean cleaner air, less traffic, and better facilities for the community.

We’re proposing a range of changes, shaped by the views of thousands of local people and informed by a new town centre strategy created alongside the local community. Now we’ve received a £19 million boost from the Levelling Up Fund, it’s time to start delivering on them.

We’re proposing transformational changes to public spaces across Hackney Central, but we also want to make small-scale improvements that can make a big difference quickly.

One of these is Marvin Street – a small cul-de-sac off Graham Road, where there’s an opportunity to replace a space dominated by car parking with a new pocket park for Hackney Central.

Find out more about how Hackney Central is changing at:
consultation.hackney.gov.uk/hackneycentral/

Overview

We want your views on proposals to transform Marvin Street into a more pleasant place for pedestrians, with new landscaping that incorporates planting, trees and refurbished footways. Additionally, these proposals look to introduce better facilities for walking, cycling and electric vehicles on Sylvester Road and Penpoll
Road to help people use cleaner, healthier ways of getting around.

The proposals form part of our plans to create a greener, healthier Hackney Central, improve road safety and support people to walk, shop and cycle
locally.

What is this document about?

This document outlines proposals to transform Marvin Street and introduce new transport infrastructure on the adjacent roads Sylvester Road and Penpoll Road.  

This document seeks your views and input on these proposals to help us develop the proposals into detailed designs. 

Once we have created detailed designs for the spaces using your feedback, we will contact you again inviting you to view the detailed designs and submit any comments as part of the 21-day statutory consultation period before implementation. 

Why are these changes being proposed?

We love Hackney Central, but we know from our conversations with local people some of the issues it faces.

The town centre is dominated by traffic, in particular the main road through Mare Street and Amhurst Road, with major junctions at Graham Road, Morning Lane and Well Street.

The result of this is an area with busy footfall but poor air quality.

Thousands of people took part in the Hackney Central Conversation and helped create the Hackney Central Town Centre Strategy. You identified priorities including:

• reducing the impact of traffic in the town centre
• creating a better environment for walking and cycling.
• recognising the value of local parks and green spaces
• encouraging more small-scale green spaces

Transforming Marvin Street provides the opportunity to provide a quieter route connecting Hackney Central Station and Hackney Town Hall Square, and connecting Hackney Central Station with Wilton Way and deliver on our commitment to increase the amount of green space in the town centre. 

Local residents have long championed a pocket park for Marvin Street and first sparked the conversation with officers by submitting concept drawings for the street in 2019. 

"We think Marvin Street could be transformed into a beautiful small park, or grove, integrated at the Graham Road end with the bus stop and with bicycle storage facilities and an electric vehicle charger at the Sylvester Road end. An innovative natural space with trees and seating. It might help redress the traffic pollution and could be London's most beautiful bus stop. It could eventually connect with a new similarly landscaped southern entrance to Hackney Central Station."

Extract from one resident’s response in the Hackney Central Conversation

Sections of Sylvester Road and Penpoll Road have also been included in this project to provide sustainable transport infrastructure to supplement the pocket park scheme. 

Our Transport Strategy includes a Liveable Neighbourhoods Plan. This plan acknowledges that local streets serve more than just a function for parking and driving, walking, or cycling. They are also vital spaces for social interaction and daily living.

Our goal is to reclaim Hackney's streets from motor traffic congestion and transform them into some of the most attractive and liveable neighbourhoods in London. To achieve this, we are focused on encouraging the use of cleaner and greener transportation options, particularly walking, cycling, and public transport. Additionally, we aim to reduce non-essential private car journeys. These objectives have numerous advantages, including:

• Reducing the likelihood of road accidents.
• Enhancing personal mobility through sustainable transportation.
• Creating safer, cleaner, and quieter residential streets.

We believe that by prioritising these sustainable transportation options, we can make our streets safer and more enjoyable for everyone in our community.

What are the proposals?

We want to hear your thoughts on what Marvin Street should include to inform our designs. An initial concept drawing has been created to spark the imagination for Marvin Street and is shown in the images below. The drawing includes: 

• Pedestrianisation: We aim to transform Marvin Street by converting it into a pedestrian-friendly zone. This means replacing the existing road space with a step-free footpath, providing pedestrians with a comfortable route to and from Hackney Central. Additionally, we plan to incorporate seating areas along the path, allowing pedestrians to rest during their journeys.
• Greenery Enhancement: To enhance the public environment and improve air quality, we intend to introduce new greenery on Marvin Street. This will involve the creation of new planting areas and the addition of trees, contributing to a more appealing and sustainable streetscape.
• Cycle Parking: Marvin Street will also feature new cycle parking facilities. These facilities will cater to a variety of bicycles, including non-standard bikes, tricycles, and cargo bikes. 

Please note that as part of the plan to pedestrianise Marvin Street, the removal of all six parking spaces on this street will be necessary.

In addition to the changes proposed for Marvin Street, our initial proposals for Sylvester Road and Penpoll Road includes the following:

• Cycle Hangars: Two new cycle hangars on Sylvester Road, offering secure bicycle storage options for residents.
• Loading Bay: A 10-metre loading bay on Sylvester Road to facilitate business operations. This bay will have a maximum stay of 20 minutes, with a two-hour no-return policy.
• Cycle Hire Bay: A cycle hire bay on Sylvester Road, potentially accommodating cargo bike rentals for businesses and electric bike (e-bike) rentals.
• Electric Car Club Bay: A designated bay for an electric car club on Penpoll Road, to give residents access to a car when they need one, without the cost or hassle of owning one.
• Fast Electric Vehicle Charging Bay: A fast electric vehicle charging bay on Penpoll Road, promoting the adoption of electric vehicles and reducing emissions.

Artist’s impression of a pedestrianised Marvin Street

What happens next?

Your views will also be taken into account as part of the detailed design process. We will publish the feedback received as well as any decisions made at: consultation.hackney.gov.uk

Following detailed design, a statutory 21-day consultation will then take place on the proposal to change the traffic order of Marvin Street to a pedestrianised space and residents will have 21 days to submit an objection, comment or representation. 

Permanent works

If the scheme goes ahead, following consultation, we expect construction works to start in Spring 2024 with completion in about 10 weeks. Further information regarding the works will be sent out closer to the time.

Information

For further information on this proposal, please contact the Hackney Service Centre by calling 020 8356 2897 or by emailing: streetscene.consultation@hackney.gov.uk

Accessibility statement

If you need any information on this consultation in a different format please email: consultation@hackney.gov.uk We’ll consider your request and get back
to you in 5 working days.