Islington Labour councillors have delivered a clear message to the new owners of the Holloway Prison site that they must deliver genuinely affordable homes, including social housing, for local people.

During a tour of the former prison site, which was sold last month by the Government to the housing association Peabody, local ward councillors and the Leader of Islington Council made clear that plans for the site must include as much genuinely affordable housing as possible, the vast majority of which must be social housing.

Councillors also made clear that a women’s building and high quality accessible green space were essential on the site.

Thanks to planning guidance issued by Islington Council prior to the site being sold, and following financial support from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Peabody has confirmed it will bring forward plans that will deliver 60 per cent of homes on the site at genuinely affordable levels.

Cllr Diarmaid Ward, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Housing and ward councillor for Holloway, said:

“The Holloway Prison site represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver a huge amount of new genuinely affordable homes for local people. We are determined to secure the new homes that Islington needs to help tackle the housing crisis.

 

“We have been clear from the start that any plans for the site must meet our strict criteria of at least 50 per cent of homes being genuinely affordable – 70 per cent of which should be social housing. Our planning guidance also requires a women’s building, a mix of housing types – including family accommodation – and green space that is open to all, including play space.

 

“During the visit to the site, my colleagues and I left the new owners in no doubt that we will hold them to these requirements, which local people have told us they support when we consulted with them.”

Peabody has opened an initial consultation website, setting out its commitments and calling for local people to have their say – Islington Labour is encouraging residents to respond calling for much needed social housing. Have your say here – http://hollowayprisonconsultation.co.uk/.

Pictured – Cllr Diarmaid Ward, Cllr Richard Watts, Cllr Paul Smith, Cllr Tricia Clarke and Cllr Rakhia Ismail.