Full report and project film coming to this page very soon!

Everyone has the right to be heard regarding decisions that concern us, but frequently young people don’t have that opportunity. CP4H launched a peer-led youth research project in 2024. A group of young people living and studying in Islington were trained and supported to design and carry out research activities to find out what their peers’ views are on the local area and what should be taken into account by developers and planners, especially those working on the Holloway Prison development (now known as Holloway Park).  

This report brings together the youth researchers’ findings and recommendations for engaging young people in the design, planning and management of Holloway Park and other future developments, as well as for creating a community that young people feel part of.

Key takeaways of the research findings are:

• Young people want a range of physical infrastructure on the Holloway Park site and beyond, such as green spaces, sports areas, youth hubs, and measures that make indoor and outdoor spaces feel safe and foster belonging. But this is not enough in itself: they also want regular activities that give people opportunities to come together and also allow them to have an active role in shaping this and other developments now and into the future. 
• Safety is an important theme for young people. Participants feel that safety is both physical (CCTV, streetlights, good management) and social (familiarity, knowing people, trust) and that the latter is at least, if not more important than the former.
• There is a strong desire by young people, whose voices are so often not heard, to be meaningfully consulted by power holders about matters that affect their daily lives. It is one of their absolute rights. Consultation should not be one-off and tick box but an ongoing conversation with robust feedback loops.

“I feel like, especially with the new development, people might be coming from different areas so its important to have places where they can connect. A girl that I interviewed mentioned familiarity within your community, so I think its important to have a lot of people, a community that’s close [together].”

Youth researcher, project film