Key Points
- Islington Council has invested over £18.5 million from developer contributions into capital delivery projects to enhance estates and public spaces, ensuring local residents benefit directly from new developments.
- More than £4.5 million specifically allocated for improvements to estates and public realms as part of these investments.
- Contributions stem from mechanisms like Section 106 (S106) agreements and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), collected from developers building in the borough.
- Funds support resident priorities such as affordable housing, community safety, play spaces, cleaner environments, and infrastructure like open spaces, transport, and environmental improvements.
- In 2023/24, 35 developer agreements were signed, securing £3,794,801 in financial obligations under S106, excluding indexation.
- Related £5 million “Making it Happen” fund, potentially linked to developer funds, targets anti-social behaviour (e.g., £1.9m for CCTV, lighting), play spaces (£840k for parks like Barnard Park), cleaning initiatives, participatory budgeting (£140k), and community support.
- Cllr Una O’Halloran, Leader of Islington Council, emphasised turning residents’ priorities into action for safer streets and community pride.
- Broader council efforts include £28m to reduce council tax for one in five households, investments in Whittington Park, over 6,000 people helped into employment in four years, and more affordable homes.
- Developer contributions are allocated at ward level to mitigate local impacts, prioritised via Community Plans.
- Annual Infrastructure Funding Statements (IFS) detail CIL and S106 receipts, allocations, and spending for transparency, with data for 2019/20 to 2023/24 available.
Islington, London (North London News) March 16, 2026 – Islington Council has channelled over £18.5 million from developer contributions into projects aimed at fostering a more equal borough, with funds enhancing local estates, public spaces, and resident priorities. These investments, drawn from planning obligations like Section 106 agreements and the Community Infrastructure Levy, ensure that growth from new developments directly benefits the community.
- Key Points
- How Are Developer Contributions Collected in Islington?
- What Specific Investments Have Been Made with the £18.5m?
- What Is the Making It Happen Fund and Its Link to Contributions?
- What Did Cllr Una O’Halloran Say About These Investments?
- How Does This Fit into Broader Council Efforts?
- What Governance Ensures Proper Spending of Contributions?
- Are There Comparisons with Neighbouring Boroughs?
- What Is the Infrastructure Delivery Plan’s Role?
This significant allocation underscores the council’s commitment to mitigating development impacts through tangible improvements, as outlined in official reports and media releases.
How Are Developer Contributions Collected in Islington?
Developer contributions in Islington primarily come through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Section 106 (S106) planning obligations.
As detailed in the Islington Council’s Annual Infrastructure Funding Statement for 2023/24, CIL has largely replaced S106 for general infrastructure funding since its adoption, while S106 focuses on site-specific mitigations like affordable housing and local employment opportunities.
In the 2023/24 reporting year, 35 developer agreements were signed, committing a total of £3,794,801 in financial obligations, not including potential indexation for inflation or deflation, according to the council’s factsheet on CIL and S106.
These pre-CIL S106 funds target infrastructural purposes such as open spaces, community facilities, transport, and environmental enhancements, with spending directed to the vicinity of development sites to address local impacts.
What Specific Investments Have Been Made with the £18.5m?
Over £18.5 million from these contributions has been invested in capital delivery projects, with more than £4.5 million dedicated to upgrading estates and public realms, as reported in Islington Council’s media release.
The funds prioritise resident-led initiatives, ensuring local people see direct benefits from development, including enhancements to shared spaces and community facilities.
This investment forms part of broader capital spending that aligns with ward-level Community Plans, where allocations are made to projects mitigating development pressures.
What Is the Making It Happen Fund and Its Link to Contributions?
Complementing the £18.5m, the £5 million Making it Happen fund – announced in the 2026/27 budget proposals – delivers on key resident concerns like anti-social behaviour, play spaces, and cleanliness, as covered by Islington Council’s media team.
Breakdowns include £1.9 million for community safety measures such as mobile CCTV vans, outreach vehicles, upgraded lighting, gated entries, and removal of disused phone boxes, alongside community consultations for further reductions in anti-social behaviour.
An additional £840k targets play space improvements: half for estate-based areas and the rest for equipment replacements at parks including Barnard Park, Elthorne Park, Joseph Grimaldi Park, Davenant Road open space, and King Square.
Other allocations cover £140k for participatory budgeting where residents propose and vote on projects, community gardening, spring cleans, neighbourhood clean-ups, and actions at town centres, shopping areas, and Finsbury Park transport hub.
The fund also supports culture, arts, sports, and community activities, building on the Income Maximisation Team’s success in securing over £16m in unclaimed benefits since April 2024, with aims for £5m annually.
What Did Cllr Una O’Halloran Say About These Investments?
As reported by the Islington Council media team, Cllr Una O’Halloran, Leader of Islington Council, stated: “As a council, we’re focused on turning residents’ priorities into action, to create real, tangible change.”
She continued:
“That’s why we’re set to invest £5 million in these practical improvements, which will make a difference for people across the borough – through safer streets, better shared spaces, and by working together to boost community pride.”
Cllr O’Halloran added:
“It’s all part of our efforts to make it happen for local people, by building the more equal Islington that we all want to see.”
How Does This Fit into Broader Council Efforts?
The £5m fund exemplifies wider actions, including £28 million to reduce council tax bills – in some cases to zero – for around one in five households.
Investments extend to Whittington Park upgrades, anti-social behaviour initiatives, genuinely affordable housing, and employment support that has assisted over 6,000 residents in the last four years.
These align with the council’s budget, voted on at the Full Council meeting on 26 February 2026, with full details on the council website.
What Governance Ensures Proper Spending of Contributions?
Developer contributions are governed transparently via annual Infrastructure Funding Statements (IFS), mandated by the Community Infrastructure Levy (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019, covering CIL and S106 details from 2019/20 to 2023/24.
Data on developer agreements, contributions, and transactions for 2023/24 is publicly available under the Open Government Licence.
Spending priorities depend on development scale, permissions, and build-out rates, with ward-level allocations tied to Community Plans.
Pre-CIL S106 funds, lacking specific project directives, are spent locally to mitigate site impacts.
Are There Comparisons with Neighbouring Boroughs?
While Islington-specific, nearby Camden reported £23m received in S106 contributions in a recent period, including £9.4m for affordable housing, £3.2m for carbon offset projects, £2.4m for environmental and realm improvements, and £1.4m for highways, from 108 agreements worth £34.8m total.
Camden’s annual financial report noted £22.5m from external grants and developer contributions enhancing borough investments.
These figures highlight similar mechanisms across North London, though Islington’s £18.5m focus emphasises equality and resident benefits.
What Is the Infrastructure Delivery Plan’s Role?
The Islington Infrastructure Delivery Plan Update 2019 supports the Local Plan, assessing needs for new developments and updating prior strategies from 2009 and 2014 CIL evidence.
It identifies projects fundable by CIL and S106, ensuring alignment with growth.
Full developer data and IFS reports provide ongoing transparency for residents and stakeholders.
