Campaigners asked Tufnell Park residents to weigh in on housing redevelopment plans at the site of a former women’s prison in Holloway this Saturday.
Campaign group Community Plan for Holloway met at St. George’s and All Saints Church, where a crowd of residents provided input on plans for the site of HMP Holloway.
The site was purchased by housing association the Peabody Group from the Ministry of Justice in March, for £81.5m.
Peabody also secured a £42m loan from the Mayor of London’s Land Fund in March to build 1,000 homes across the site – 60% of which would be classed as “genuinely affordable”.
Since the purchase, Community Plan for Holloway has held monthly meetings with Peabody to contribute proposals for the housing development.
The Plan’s proposals include environmental safeguards, the development of green and open spaces, social facilities for women and a co-housing block.
Rev. Alexandra Lilley from the Plan’s Board of Directors said the Peabody Group is “looking for further consultation and input” from local people to form a “master plan” for the site.
The Plan’s community organiser Mark Charlton described the gathering as “a once in a lifetime opportunity for the local community to get involved.”
“Sites like this don’t come around very often,” he added.
However, the Plan would like to receive greater detail on Peabody’s proposals to ensure that these promises are met.
Cllr. Diarmaid Ward, Executive Member for Housing and Development in Islington, said: “Peabody have given us warm words, but we’ve got to now dig into the details and hold Peabody to all their promises.”
Representatives of other community groups, including Reclaim Holloway, Islington Homes for All and Islington Trades Council also attended the gathering.
