Reimagining Amhurst Road

Overview

Watch the fly-through video above to see our plans for transforming Amhurst Road and Pembury Circus in Hackney Central. This visual tour reveals how we aim to reduce through traffic and enhance safety for pedestrians. The project will introduce approximately 1,900 sqm of new public garden areas, increase canopy cover with additional tree planting, and create a more inviting space for residents and visitors.

What we’re doing 

We are transforming Amhurst Road and Pembury Circus to create a new green corridor through the heart of Hackney Central. This project aims to make the town centre greener and safer with the following initiatives:

• Transforming Amhurst Road: We plan to convert Amhurst Road between Mare Street and Pembury Circus into a green route. This will feature new pocket parks, increased greenery, and additional seating areas.
• Redesigning Pembury Circus: The Pembury Circus junction will be redesigned to improve safety and flow for pedestrians, cyclists, and buses, ensuring a smoother and safer transit through this busy space.
• Reclaiming public space: We are reclaiming 23,000 sqm of space from motor traffic to enhance public areas, providing more room for people and reducing the impact of traffic.
• Reducing through-traffic: We aim to decrease through traffic in Hackney Central town centre by managing flows via Pembury Circus and Amhurst Road.
• Enhancing gateways: The project will complement the improved gateways into Hackney Central at Hackney Central and Hackney Downs stations.

Why we’re doing it

Amhurst Road currently serves as a major traffic route, leading to poor air quality, hazardous junctions, and a fragmented town centre. By reducing traffic along this route, we can:

• Reclaim space for people: This will allow us to add more trees, planting, and pavement space, addressing local feedback for a greener and more navigable town centre.
• Improve safety: Pembury Circus, one of the borough's most dangerous junctions, will become safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Reducing traffic on key approaches to this junction is crucial for these improvements.
• Enhance the town centre: These changes align with our ambition for a town centre that offers more public space and greenery, reduced traffic and pollution, and improved accessibility for walking and cycling.

How we’re doing it

We are developing detailed plans based on extensive community engagement over several years, including feedback from the Hackney Central Conversation and consultations on previous proposals for Pembury Circus and Amhurst Road. 

On Saturday 27 July 2024 we held a drop-in event on the Narrow Way to speak with residents about this project and other changes happening across Hackney Central. Below are the information boards that were shared during this event, they include key visuals and explanations that illustrate our plans and their anticipated impact.

We will continue to keep you updated on the development of these plans and provide opportunities for you to contribute to shaping these changes. Your feedback is crucial as we move forward with this project.