Frequently asked questions
What is a home zone?
A home zone is a vibrant shared street space which is attractive and welcoming to people of all ages. Vehicles are treated as guests in the street, opening up the traditional road space for other uses such as children's play and social activities.
Home zones include some or all of the following: shared surfaces (with no kerbs), traffic calming, designated parking, art work, plants, flowers and landscaping, play space, seating and communal areas.
Why a home zone?
Home zones can be used to deal with a variety of issues such as rat running, speeding traffic, and lack of playable space. Residential streets can be transformed from traffic corridors into valued outdoor spaces, providing a better quality of life. Children can play safely, neighbours can meet to chat and socialise, and everyone can enjoy a cleaner and healthier environment.
Exploring the potential of a home zone to solve such problems is a valuable process in itself. A sense of community and belonging can be generated by bringing neighbours together to discuss and tackle the problems in their street.
Is there a home zone near me?
London Play has mapped home zone schemes across London. These include proposed, developing and completed schemes, in addition to local campaigns. Click on the map to find out about developments in your borough.
How much does it cost to develop a home zone?
The cost of developing a retro-fit home zone (transformation of an existing street) varies, depending on the degree of transformation, but can be in the region of £300,000 upwards. The bulk of funding is normally accessed via the local authority. For more information on funding home zones, please click here.
How long does it take to develop a home zone?
Retro-fit home zones schemes can take years to develop - often four years and above. The different elements involved - including consultation of residents and other stakeholders, gaining local authority approval, identifying funding and construction - can all be time-consuming processes.
How do I get started?
There is no single route to developing a home zone. See the case studies page for different approaches undertaken as part of the Home Zones for London project. Some suggestions for getting started are given below:
- Speak to other residents in your street, or organise a public meeting to see if there is initial interest in developing a home zone.
- Carry out a residents' survey to identify the main concerns in the street, to see whether a home zone could potentially address these issues.
- Organise a street party as a way to bring residents together and demonstrate the benefits of creating an environment that allows the community to gather and children to play in their street. Click here for guidance.
- Visit a local home zone - see the home zones map for further information.
- Gain the support of your local councillor - local authority consent will be required for the construction of a home zone.
Where can I get more information?
- See other Home Zones for London webpages for information on funding sources, case studies and a map of home zones across London - click the tabs on the left hand side.
- Download the Home Zones for London evaluation report Can I play out€¦?
- Click here for links to other websites and organisations.
