Two councillors last week took a closer look at the ongoing transformation of Palmers Green's newest public square.
Councillors Doug Taylor (left) and Ian Barnes inspecting the progress of work to transform Devonshire Square
Councillors Doug Taylor and Ian Barnes donned hi-viz last Wednesday to get past the barriers surrounding Devonshire Square and inspect the progress of the work to repave the pedestrianised area and install rain gardens.
Many of the mosaic paving panels depicting events from local history, designed with input from students at Laurel Park School, are now in place. The new-look Devonshire Square will be launched in May with a series of events organised by Enfield Council and community groups.
Mosaics representing events from local history were designed with input from students at Laurel Park School
Doug Taylor, one of two councillors representing Palmers Green ward, said: “The newly designed public space will be a great addition to Green Lanes, adding verve and vibrancy, as it becomes a home for a variety of community events. It shows the power of imagination to turn a road junction into a destination.”
Cllr Ian Barnes said: “When the Fox Lane Quieter Neighbourhood was installed, one ambition was to take back some road space for local people and this square is the perfect example. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the community uses it, as well as sampling the café culture in the summer months. It’s like a tiny piece of Barcelona right here in Palmers Green.”
People spending time at a pop-up parklet in Devonshire Road in September 2019 (Photo: Maggie Westhead)
The idea of closing off one end of Devonshire Road to create a public space was first suggested by the group Better Streets for Enfield, who pioneered the idea for part of a day in 2019 when they created a "pop-up parklet" at the junction with Green Lanes. The experiment proved popular with passers-by and local businesses and prompted the council to create the new square in 2022. It has since been used as a venue for events run by Palmers Green Action Team and Arbeit Studios
