Plans for a new community building set within the Wray Crescent Open Space in Finsbury Park were approved last month.
The scheme by McBains and Islington Architects will see the replacement of a derelict cricket pavilion with a new community hub to better support park users and community events.
The new, single-storey, multi-use building will continue to support cricket and other sports, with home and away team changing rooms, but will also provide accessible toilets, an office for the borough’s Parks Service and a community space for local residents, including a kitchen and servery hatch.
The scheme aligns with Islington Council’s Net Zero Carbon programme and will feature an air source heat pump and green roof.
Simon McNabb, Project Director at McBains, commented: “Spanning over two hectares and featuring the only cricket pitch in Islington, the Wray Crescent Open Space is an important community amenity.
“We’re delighted this project secured additional capital funding last year in order to progress, as its set to greatly enhance the park and provide a fantastic facility for local residents”.
Appointed to oversee RIBA stages 3-7, including demolition of the existing building, McBains is providing design coordination, structural engineering, MEP engineering, quantity surveying and principal designer/CDM services to the scheme.

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