Ducketts Common

Green Lanes/Turnpike Lane, N4

If you travel along Green Lanes in Haringey or use the Tube and bus station at Turnpike Lane it is difficult to imagine that little over 150 years ago you would have been in the middle of a large farm that extended from Hornsey to Tottenham. Ducketts Common is the green space that remains of that rural landscape.

The present Common is very different from what existed even just over a hundred years ago. It remains a welcome area of green space in the heart of Haringey and affords much pleasure to those who use it for sport (the basketball courts are especially popular), recreation or simply as a place to relax on a summer's day.

More information on the history of Ducketts Common can be found below in the attached files section. If you would like to become a Friend of the Common please visit the Friends of Ducketts website in the external links section below.

Ducketts Common Master Planning

Groundwork London have been consulting locally and liaising with the Friends of Ducketts Common group to decide on the best way to improve the Ducketts Common open space.

Facilities currently include a recent Children's Playground and three basketball courts, converted from tennis some 10 years ago, an area of recreational grass with the rest set out as utility grass, shrub beds and paths connecting to the surrounding roads.

The Common has always been a popular cut-through to the Turnpike Lane Tube, Wood Green Shops and the Bus Station.

The consultation to date has resulted in the formulation of a draft Master Plan (see attached files section below).

Within the plan are improvements to paths and entrances, the creation of a plaza to encourage people to stay and relax, an extension to the playground, resurfacing of the basketball courts, a new outdoor gym together and new shrub and plant beds.

Playground improvements

Courtesy of £75,000 funding (£50,000 from HM Govt. Playbuilder programme, £24,000 from Marks & Spencer, £1,000 from the Woodland Trust) the Playground has been extended with new kit and landscaped, and is proving a very popular attraction.

Ball Court Area improvements

The basketball court area is next to receive a make-over.

Congratulation to the Friends Group and one local resident in particular and to designers Groundwork London in raising £150,000 for this phase of the Master Plan, all of which has been sourced from outside the Council.

Converted some years ago from rarely used tennis courts much work is needed, and though there may be some issues that cannot be done at this time due to significant cost implications, the £150,000 budget will deliver real improvements including a 14 piece outdoor gym offering some 22 work out stations.

A detailed plan is attached below, though the final plan will not be known until Contractors bid for the work and adjustments made according to affordability and in consultation with stakeholders.

Attached Files

Useful External Links

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• Friends of Ducketts Common