City of London Plans a Radical Transformation of Historic Alleys

The City of London is set to reimagine its historic medieval alleyways, breathing new life into the Square Mile’s intricate network of streets. As part of the Destination City initiative, planners are working on a long-term strategy to create a pedestrian-friendly environment, connecting heritage landmarks, modern developments, and key transport hubs.

With a workforce of over 670,000 and growing tourism levels, the City is under pressure to improve pedestrian movement and ease congestion. To meet this challenge, new walking routes are being introduced, promote the City’s medieval past with forward-thinking urban design.

New Routes to Open Up the Square Mile

Three major schemes at 55 Old Broad Street, 99 Bishopsgate, and 55 Bishopsgate have been approved, forming an interconnected pedestrian network between the City’s skyscrapers, the Crossrail corridor, and Liverpool Street Station. These new links will reduce crowding on Bishopsgate and Old Broad Street, creating high-quality public spaces where people can move freely, stop to relax, or take in the City’s history and atmosphere.

Among the landmarks being reconnected through these improved pedestrian routes are St Ethelburga’s Church and St Helen’s Place, showcasing the City’s great architecture. The reinvention of lost medieval alleys will provide hidden shortcuts, allowing pedestrians to move through the Square Mile in a more intuitive and enjoyable way.

A New Vision for the City’s Streets

Over the years, the City’s historic network of narrow alleys has been increasingly replaced by large commercial developments, making the pedestrian experience more restrictive. But now, under the City Plan 2040, planning officers are working closely with developers, businesses, and investors to ensure that new routes are prioritised as part of future developments.

The pathways will ease congestion and also:

• Reconnect historic alleys lost to redevelopment.
• Improve access to Underground and mainline stations.
• Provide cooler walking routes in summer and a more peaceful alternative to main roads.
• Enhance wayfinding by opening up views of key landmarks.
• Integrate with the public high-walk network along the Thames.

This human-scale transformation of the City’s medieval alleyways is expected to support business and cultural life, by turning once-hidden cut-throughs into buzzing social areas.

Deborah Saunt, co-founder of DSDHA and a member of the City Property Association, highlighted the importance of these new walking routes:

“The joy of exploring the City’s myriad streets and alleyways is discovering the new and unexpected, with architectural treasures, pocket parks, and hidden gems at virtually every turn. Opening up vibrant new cut-throughs further enhances the area’s social capacity too, as a great place to meet people, exchange ideas, and explore – which is both good for business and culture.”

With these new pedestrian routes set to reshape movement through the Square Mile, the City of London is taking an innovative approach to urban planning, combining history, sustainability, and accessibility in ways that benefit both workers and visitors.

For more updates on developments in the City of London, visit EyeOnLondon City.

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