The future of a hotly-contested redevelopment project at the Nag’s Head Market will be decided by Islington Council next week.

Town Hall planners will hear a debate on an application for the mezzanine floor of the market to be used as a food hall, as well as for the retention and cladding of storage containers.

Two petitions have been submitted about the pans - one supporting with 110 signatures and one opposing with 34 signatories, along with an objection by ward councillor Gary Heather.

Enforcement notices were served to owners at Nag’s Head in December 2020 about the installation of shipping and storage containers as a planning breach, with the notices coming into effect on February 12, just three days after the meeting to decide the market’s future.

A planning report states: “The proposal would help support the wider function of the Nag's Head town centre, providing opportunities for small scale business and supporting a wider mix of retail and service opportunities.

“The proposal would complement existing leisure and retail uses and would support efforts to address the need for more family-friendly evening functions (such as restaurants) within the town centre, as identified in the Nag’s Head Town Centre Strategy 2007 for leisure provision for young people and for families."

The mezzanine floor would contain 16 food units and is intended to be opened as street food market called The Upper Place; plans to which 31 people have written in support, while 22 have raised objections.

The Upper Place would house restaurant vendors, toilets, a communal eating space, an ancillary bar and a smoking area.

A summary of issues raised in the report includes noise pollution from music and crowds, the sale of alcohol, increases in rubbish, issues with pest control, use on football match days resulting in litter and the number of food sellers promoting obesity.

In response, Town Hall planners judged the “scale, character and function” of the proposal as appropriate, adding: “It is considered that the proposal would help support the vitality and viability of the town centre, providing a unique offer which does not exist elsewhere.

“It is considered that the management strategies and plan is sufficient at this stage to ensure that there would be no unacceptable impact upon neighbour amenity as a result of the operation of the site.

"The opening hours are not considered to be excessive, correlating with other restaurant uses within the vicinity."