St Olave's Estate homezone

The frameworks and implementation team worked closely with a number of partners to transform Druid Street North, which runs through the St Olave's Estate, from a notorious rat run into a new homezone with a pocket park.

The project is the direct output of long engagement with the local community, primarily Fair Community Housing Services. The community wanted to make physical improvements, improve safety, and enhance the general environment of the seven housing estates. In 2005 an extensive traffic survey showed the potential to close the road without affecting the capacity of the local transport network. This information created greater scope for the project.

The works were completed in two phases. The first phase involved closing Druid Street north to traffic, removing a section of highway to create the foundations for a new pocket park, and the construction of a homezone. A new mini roundabout, parking bays, trees, and lighting were all part of phase one.

In the second phase the entire area was greened with more trees and planting, the new pocket park was completed and the front gardens of adjacent housing estate buildings were created.

The whole scheme was enabled and funded by collaboration between a number of organisations, including the Fair Community Housing Services, More London, Great Portland Estates, Pool of London Partnership which is now London Bridge BID company.

The St Olave's Estate transformation was project managed by the frameworks and implementation team at Southwark Council. The design of the space was created by Lark Design landscape architects and Pax traffic consultants.