The Disability Oversight Panel of Camden Council was scheduled to consider the impacts on and engagement with disabled people during the concept design stage of the Holborn Liveable Neighbourhood project. The panel was also scheduled to review the minutes from its previous meeting held on 22 July 2026.

Holborn Liveable Neighbourhood: Impacts on and Engagement with Disabled People

The Disability Oversight Panel was scheduled to consider a report detailing how the Holborn Liveable Neighbourhood (HLN) project is addressing the needs of disabled people during its concept design stage. This significant project, funded in part by Transport for London (TfL), aims to transform streets and public spaces in Holborn to promote walking, cycling, and public transport use, while also improving air quality and increasing green space.

The report was scheduled to outline the project's approach to ensuring inclusivity and accessibility, acknowledging that the needs of disabled people can vary widely due to neurodiversity, mobility, sensory, or developmental impairments. The project team has engaged with organisations such as the Royal National Institute of Blind People and Camden Disability Action, and has also gathered feedback online. A key aspect of the HLN project is to create a more accessible, calm, and low-traffic environment, particularly around Great Ormond Street Hospital.

The report was scheduled to detail the findings of an accessibility audit conducted across the Holborn project area, which identified numerous issues such as impassable road junctions and obstructed pavements. Potential positive impacts for disabled people were anticipated to include wider and smoother footways, improved crossings with better tactile provision and crossing times, reduced road danger, and more seating.

However, the report was also scheduled to address potential negative impacts. These included concerns that traffic restrictions or changes to parking and kerbside access could affect disabled people reliant on private vehicles, taxis, or community transport. Changes to bus routes and stops might also increase walking distances or make boarding more difficult. The report was scheduled to detail proposed mitigations for these issues, such as retaining and consolidating disabled parking bays, reviewing bus stop locations to minimise walking distances, and upgrading bus stops with seating and real-time information.

Further potential negative impacts were scheduled to be discussed, including conflict between pedestrians and cyclists, obstruction of accessible routes by new street furniture, and difficulties for wheelchair users due to loading bays at footway level. Road closures and diversions were also noted as potentially increasing journey times or making destinations harder to reach by vehicle. The report was scheduled to explain how these issues are being considered and mitigated through design development, traffic modelling, and ongoing consultation.

The report was scheduled to highlight the project's alignment with Camden's Transport Strategy¹, Walking and Accessibility Action Plan, and wider policy objectives, all of which aim to create a welcoming, accessible, and well-designed public realm. The project's objectives include improving safety, enhancing the public realm, increasing active travel, and improving connectivity.

The approach to considering impacts on disabled people was scheduled to involve commissioning an independent EqIA specialist to scrutinise proposals, consolidate identified issues, and provide recommendations. This specialist was scheduled to use the Tool for Equitable Streetscapes (TESS)² to assess how proposed designs impact different needs profiles. The report was scheduled to propose a dedicated public engagement session with the Disability Oversight Panel in February 2027, as well as further engagement before construction begins.

The panel was scheduled to be asked to note the proposed approach to identifying, assessing, and addressing potential impacts on disabled people, and to consider whether it provides an appropriate basis for balancing accessibility requirements with the scheme's other objectives.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The Disability Oversight Panel was also scheduled to consider the minutes from its previous meeting, which was scheduled to be held on 22 July 2026. The minutes from that meeting are publicly available³.