Chapel Market development project

The Chapel Market inclusive economy project aims to address the existing challenges that Chapel Market faces, including high pitch vacancy rates and low footfall during its hours of operation.

Chapel Market is at the heart of our community and home to one of Islington’s historic markets. After consulting with residents, visitors, traders and local businesses from mid-February to mid-March 2023, we will now be taking forward our exciting ideas for improving the market. Read about the consultation results.

Work will start in early May 2023. It will be carried out in phases and is expected to last for 28 weeks. You can see more information about each phase, detailed plans and contact details on our construction updates page.

See latest updates

Contact

• Site access and site issues: Billy Boyle, Supervisor on 020 7739 2976 
• Out of hours emergency contact: Marlborough Highways on 020 7739 2976 
• Trader and pitches issues or street trading queries: Houriye Dervish - Houriye.Dervish@islington.gov.uk 
• Design and engineering: David Fernandez - David.Fernandezmolina@islington.gov.uk 
• Market and event ideas: LoveMarkets@islington.gov.uk
• General project queries: Eleanor Brooke - Eleanor.Brooke@islington.gov.uk

Objective

The aim of the project is to deliver a traditional street market that is fit for the future, which delivers a vibrant, attractive community place and drives local economic activity and social inclusion. The project is funded by the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund Accelerator and Islington Council.

The project is made up of several different strands, led by different teams in the council working together. We plan to future-proof Chapel Market by improving the facilities and making the area more attractive. We are also working on business support and the recruitment of new traders.

Our plans

We aim to make the market more attractive, cleaner, safer and easier to walk, cycle or wheel buggies and wheelchairs around.

The diagram below shows the changes we will be making, and reflects the feedback we received during the consultation. Each number matches a location on the plan: 

1. creating a more welcoming entrance at Liverpool Road with a new paved crossing 
2. creating space for events, with a canopy to enable year-round use 
3. improved market pitches, with new trees and planting at the eastern end of the market 
4. a new flexible space for events and guest markets 
5. a new wash up area included for market traders 
6. improved storage facilities for market traders in Warren Court 
7. pedestrianising Chapel Place.

Download a larger image of the plan.

Please note that this plan does not meet accessibility standards. Maps are excluded from the Public Sector Bodies Websites and Mobile Applications regulations 2018. If you need the plan in an alternative format, please contact us.

Chapel Place Canopy

The development project will also see a new, permanent canopy installed in the market – as requested by local people during our public engagement. 
 
This canopy will be used to hold occasional events at Chapel Place to attract more customers to the market. The canopy space will also provide a suitable sheltered space to encourage local people to learn to trade at Chapel Market. Future events planned for this space include themed markets, community events and workshops.

For more information about the canopy, please see the drawings found in the 'Useful documents' section at the bottom of this page.

Parking changes

We will also be making changes to parking and access for vehicles so that we can redesign the space and add planting. This includes introducing a restricted parking zone, with designated parking bays for business loading and resident and visitor parking when the market is closed.

We have monitored parking levels on Chapel Market to inform our proposals and, based on these findings, we are confident we can provide sufficient space for residents and local businesses to continue to park when the market is closed.

For more information

Please see our construction updates page for more detail.

For general enquiries, please contact LoveMarkets@islington.gov.uk.

Plans and documents

You can download the following information from the useful documents section.

• Chapel Place canopy proposed site plan, and drawings of south elevation and west elevation.
• consultation proposal plan
• detailed plans
• construction works and phasing
• delivery and loading facility
• diversion plan.