Hackney’s first estate parklet: a green haven created by the community
We’ve been busy working with residents of Hackney’s Nightingale Estate to transform a once car-dominated corner of their estate into a green oasis for all.
Estate residents started by digging up tarmac, then laying down bark chips and potted plants to begin the transformation. Inspired by the many community parklets dotted around Hackney, they wanted to take it up a notch.
Together with our help, the community designed a beautiful parklet on Napoleon Road, which was then built by Giambrone Design this summer. The parklet is situated on a well-used walking and cycling route just off a main road, and even features a bug hotel and woodland mosaic. It occupies two former parking spaces, bringing fresh life to the estate, and offering a spot for residents to meet and connect under the shade of a lovely tree.
To celebrate the new parklet, we organised a community planting session with Hackney residents and ecoActive’s postcode gardener, Rachel. Participants at the event voted for their favourite plants on a special ballot paper, and we filled the space with vibrant purples and violets like Purple Valerian and Vervain, known for their nectar-rich flowers. Pupils from Nightingale Primary School also helped to finish the planting at another session, giving the parklet its final touches.
The Nightingale estate parklet is more than just a pretty space. It forms part of the Hackney Buzzline, a flower-filled corridor connecting four parks across Hackney, managed by ecoActive and designed to boost local bee and butterfly populations.
James McDaid, Nightingale estate resident and Guerrilla Gardener volunteer, spoke to us about the importance of the parklet:
"The parklet has become the centrepiece of a green revival of Nightingale. Young parents, dog owners, older residents and passersby use the parklet as a welcome spot to sit down and enjoy the surrounding urban gardening by our volunteer Guerrilla Gardening group.
The parklet is supporting the efforts of other groups, such as ecoActive, to build new environments for bees and local wildlife. It’s a great example of when communities put their mind to it, they can change their local environment for the better. We hope our efforts, with the great support of such organisations as Possible, will be an inspiration for other housing estates to pursue their own parklets and positive change to their surroundings".
With only four of London’s 33 councils currently allowing residents to repurpose parking spaces for parklets, we’re campaigning for more councils to adopt community parklet policies. Our goal? To reclaim 25% of kerbside space for sustainable uses that benefit communities and the climate.
Want to get involved?
Take the action below to write to your councillor in support of parklets, or use our parklet plotter to find a spot you think would be ideal for a new parklet. And if you're inspired to create a community parklet on your housing estate or street, get in touch to see how Possible may be able to support you.