New homes in London: Islington Square

One of London’s historic Royal Mail depots changes address this week, creating a first-class destination in its wake. Islington Square is a redevelopment of the Edwardian mail depot, which follows the move by Royal Mail to a new site in N1.

The development will usher in a new quarter for lively Upper Street, with 263 homes, boutiques, bars and restaurants, a theatre rehearsal space, health club and cinema. The four-and-a-half-acre site’s grand double-arched entrance, once only used by postal delivery vans, has been opened up and a new shopping arcade, right, and civic square created. There will be an acre of green space across the rooftops of restored buildings, along with newly built apartment blocks.

Built in 1904, in its heyday the centre was the main sorting office for north London, with more than 3,000 staff working there and a refectory and club for employees.

Its classical red-brick Edwardian buildings are being transformed into loft-style apartments, plus there are new homes above original loading bays. About a third of the flats are designated “affordable”, for rent and shared ownership, and serviced apartments will be available, too.

There will be a new pedestrian route from Upper Street via a “floating” glass-roofed internal garden. It leads to the covered mall, pictured, at the centre of the £400 million scheme, which opens on to a tree-lined walkway with cafés. The scheme sits next to a conservation area of garden squares and the Almeida Theatre.

Property prices start at £715,000 and rise to £1.79 million for penthouses with roof gardens. Call Knight Frank on 020 7861 5499.