CP4H held a public meeting online on Monday 19th July to discuss the latest consultation materials and masterplan. 43 people attended. Below are the notes from our discussions, which are also being shared with Islington Council and with Peabody, the developer.

Anyone can send their questions and comments and we will collate them – please send them to us at engage.plan4holloway@gmail.com by Friday 6th August.

Its very important that as well as sending us any questions, you also submit your own responses to the consultation questionnaire online at Peabody Consultation 

It also would help us to represent community voices if you copy your longer responses to us at engage.plan4holloway@gmail.com

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We’ve grouped everyone’s questions and comments below into 12 sections:

1. CONSULTATION what do you think of the questions and approach? 2. WOMEN’S BUILDING – Is this a FITTING LEGACY to meet the needs of women, including the size, its facade design and layout, service provision and location on the site? 3. QUALITY HOMES – Not overdeveloped or overheating, with good daylight 4. MAXIMISE SOCIAL HOUSING – with at least 42% at council rents  5. QUALITY GREEN SPACE – Not windy and overshadowed by 12storey blocks 6. COMMUNITY FACILITIES – Supporting the people of Holloway 7. GREEN TRANSPORT – A site not dominated by roads 8. PRIORITY GREEN – Zero carbon emissions target, sustainable development 9. GREEN CONSTRUCTION TRAINING – Skills for women and zero carbon 10. CO-HOUSING – affordable homes in a multigenerational and inclusive community 11. DESIGN AND INTEGRATION with the local neighbourhood 12. GENERAL questions about the development as a whole

1. CONSULTATION: What do you think of the questions and approach? We have been trying to get them to put something on the hoardings for 2 years now! How will people know about the consultation if there’s nothing on the Peabody site, they should use the hoardings to publicise  I think the questionnaire is dangerously coercive so be careful that you aren’t approving the masterplan thinking you are approving the ambition of the particular subject.  I entered “more information needed” for some 60% of the questions. I had difficulty finding this masterplan in the electronic documentation – maybe I’m the only one but if others found the same then we should be telling people how to get to it easily Several people have said that Peabody’s consultation online is difficult to navigate. You can feedback that on your survey form as well. Very little detail in the plan, very little to respond to. Why isn’t there enough detail being offered?  Questions for Peabody rather than for CP4H really. Important to state in the consultation how little info we have to work with Please can we forward these questions to Peabody (where appropriate)? I think we should definitely consolidate questions for Peabody All the questions do need to go to Peabody and the council All views must be gathered together to ensure that we campaign to keep Peabody on the task. Our Group 5 also had questions about the inadequacy of the consultation – local people do not feel informed – why are there not notices on lampposts? Why do Peabody not come to public meetings? Why are there not translations? How do people get focus groups to talk it through? Etc…. Can we have a public meeting in a few weeks informing people how to request focus groups? Also translations are available on request And invite Peabody again to come and speak at our public meeting which so far they have refused to do

2. WOMEN’S BUILDING – Is this a FITTING LEGACY to meet the needs of women, including the size, its facade design and layout, service provision and location on the site? What is the usual community space provided for a community centre?A standard community Centre model for this site started at 600sqm and then 800sqm. A creche is planned in the women’s building. Who is this for? The users of the centre? I thought Peabody committed to a nursery to provide childcare to people in the wider community More info on questions around the Women’s Building https://justice4holloway.wordpress.com/ideas/ please take a look at the Reclaim Holloway website for more on the women’s building – https://reclaimholloway.mystrikingly.com/ This is a field of masculine angular buildings that do not reflect women. The council recently suggested in an email that maybe 3 creches were not needed!! But I would assume that they would be for the wider community as well, but this has never been made clear. Peabody are attempting to sell us the idea that they are gifting us space as part of the women’s building but actually they are providing a community centre (incl. creche) with very little actual specialist space for the ‘women’s building’ They propose to do the Feasibility study AFTER the plans are submitted which is completely the wrong way around They also want to push the Women’s Building on the first phase so that there is less time to improve it. We are suggesting that the Women’s Building needs to be at least 3 times the current offer. Can we change the colour of bricks and materials used for women’s building as too similar to the original prison colour Totally agree about the inadequate reference to the legacy – both in build and incapacity to replace services in the prison Why are women just being ignored until it is too late or they stop asking for what they need. The SPD states that the 40 or so services that were in the prison should be replaced if not exceeded in order that women’s NEEDS be met – How do we challenge the SPD? We suggested a design competition for the women’s building – to have a women’ed practice, with vision and real attention to issues of legacy and building a fit-for-purpose building. this was ignored. This ought not be a missed opportunity to build something special and appropriate I think for the moment we have to at least demand that the site capacity maximum of 880 units be kept to and that the services included in the Prison should be included and exceeded. I thought it was an important point in the report that the Women’s Building is being rushed into Phase 1. Trying to break you all down. There ought to be a separate community centre as well as the women’s building which is specialist and serves the borough and city as well as the local community Social housing goes hand in hand with social well-being services

3. QUALITY HOMES – Not overdeveloped or overheating, with good daylight Density is a real issue – and 14 stories is far too high What are the window to window and balcony to balcony distances? The site still looks very dense Does the scheme include ‘poor doors’ or is it tenure blind, more details on service charge would be useful? Parkhurst Road block, will they be dual aspect Viewing corridor to St Pauls. Will it be in place? Balconies – what will they made of? Where are commercial properties shown on the “master plan “ ? Why are they not sticking to the spd in terms of number of units and women’s services? Density vs sunlight. What determined the density of units on this site as there are problems with shadowing and single aspect units? Would a lower density help achieve better quality units? Older persons complex Identified as necessary to free up larger homes off-site How many of the Older persons flats are single aspect in the older people complex? To offer a stand alone building – great, but how come no Women’s Legacy stand-alone Building Elderly people protection away from vehicle access and in-continuity of pedestrian access to the main access of older people’s accommodation Is the elders site going to provide care on an increasing basis, or will the tenants have to leave when they are too infirm? i.e. ask a question as to whether any extra care is offered which is the expression used The elderly (and others) may have mobility issues, so why is the senior block is situated as far from Camden Road public transport as possible Will there be parking spaces for Carers ? The older persons housing is 60 x 1 bed social rent homes Should the Older Person’s building be at the back of the site? Would it be better nearer the bus stops and possibly on top of the Women’s Building? We did raise this (location) with planning officers and they did say they have considered the distance to bus stops and shops and are happy with where it is situated. We could get more details on this. Isn’t there a communal sitting room on the block ? Are there any 1x bed flats for purchase? I think for the moment we have to at least demand that the site capacity maximum of 880 units be kept to and that the services included in the Prison should be included and exceeded. Adding plan data gives currently 981 homes – 880 is the top scoping density “Mayor’s secures over 600 affordable homes on former Holloway prison 08 March 2019 Loan of £42 million from Mayor’s Land Fund enables Peabody housing association to buy former Holloway prison site….”

4. MAXIMISE SOCIAL HOUSING – with at least 42% at council rents  Isn’t it best to have a diversity of incomes in any new neighbourhood. If most of the site of more than 50% it won’t reflect truly on society.  ideally we should reflect percentages of income in society in general. Best to build mixed neighbourhoods of income than pockets of rich or poor. Other non shared ownership more affordable options are: more homes at social rent, make the 60 older persons homes at social rent to the 42% already agreed, London Living rent, key worker homes. London Living rent is not ideal but is at least affordable and linked to median incomes for 10 years. I have researched shared ownership in Islington and you need between £63K and £90K household income – which is basically subsidies the wealthiest households not those most in need eg key workers Will shared and rented housing be mixed or segregated?  Peabody are saying whole site is mixed tenure –  known as tenure blind The private housing is all in the same block and then the ‘affordable’ housing is all in same block. Tenure-blind just means they look the same What is the tenure of the senior peoples block ? Pleased to see 42% homes at social rents in plan. And 60 social rent older persons homes. But commitment to 60% affordable housing needs unpacking. Part rent part buy is not affordable to the people who need the other 18% of homes. We therefore need to campaign to maximise homes at social rent and homes at the London Living rent. Could also include homes for key workers. Priority for social housing goes to people living in St George’s and Holloway wards where there is massive overcrowding. Then it is opened up to the rest of the borough. The % to be joint owned with developer should be challenged to be social housing Shared ownership is not affordable to the people in severe housing need in Islington. Need to maximise homes at social rents – How do we campaign to increase homes at social rent? How do we ensure that we safeguard the numbers promised eg social housing? Other questions from group 5 – who takes responsibility of these buildings in the longer term?  Concerns about sale of  18% after 10 years  (London Living Rent).

5. QUALITY GREEN SPACE – Not windy and overshadowed by 12storey blocks Need to maximise tree canopy cover and greening of development. The sunlight diagram is not good enough Are the trees protected/detailed landscape drawings are useful Protection of existing trees and planting more trees? Permanent summer sunshine! Safety issues – why is access route to Trecastle Way walled instead of open landscaping?

6. COMMUNITY FACILITIES – Supporting the people of Holloway There is also no affordable work space on the development Existing prison has swimming pool Will there be a GP surgery on site or nearby? Re the question about GP surgery. The Partnership Primary Care Centre, 331 Camden Road, is very close and currently only has 3,971 patients on their books but they are planning to close the Family Practice, 117 Holloway Road, run by the same doctors and transfer patients from there to The PPCC. I doubt if all 5,150 on the Family Practice will move but it is possible. A nursery?  Tufnell Park recent extension was to allow for extra pupils Where are 2000 cycles, prams. Pushchair, cargo bikes to be stored and how is the access and security? Slide 21 shows a large garage door. This might be underground storage

7. GREEN TRANSPORT – A site not dominated by roads We need to reduce road coverage on the site as it is a car free development to make room for more green space. Safety issue re older people’s building – why is there a road in front of it? There are more roads now than before

8. PRIORITY GREEN – Zero carbon emissions target, sustainable development Why aren’t building materials being repurposed?

9. GREEN CONSTRUCTION TRAINING – Skills for women and zero carbon Women should be building this project Involvement of women in construction and design to learn crafts How are we going to ensure that women are part of this project from start to finish eg training in building work etc. The women’s building should be built by women! a target project! And all the associated industries! A training centre on site? What about women tradespeople on the hoardings? Love that idea. inspirational content about women on the hoardings – women in construction, crafts, etc On the front of employing more Women in the construction process should CP4H perhaps concentrate more on persuading the planners and the committee in imposing a planning condition for this – rather than “asking” Peabody to action this? In Massachusetts we have increased women’s participation in the trades to 10%. Our Best Practices are documented on our website at https://policygroupontradeswomen.org/best-practices/ We are working with four other sites across North America that have also made dramatic leaps using similar strategies.

10. CO-HOUSING – affordable homes in a multigenerational and inclusive community We need cohousing!

11. DESIGN AND INTEGRATION with the local neighbourhood Bakersfield access? Need improvement of the site to meet the street – too much is blocked off in terms of access and the general relationship Can you ask why the front block of Block B has been designed to enclose the site and not blocks which relate to the street and open up the site to access. A poor relationship will also make the approach more difficult especially with steps up at the main entrance. Plus the block continues the line with the neighbouring site ie no relationship with the street breaching Healthy Street TfL policies.

12. GENERAL questions about the development as a whole Note that 7 of 8 of Peabody suggested names have zero reference to history. I suspect they are worried that high-income potential buyers of the commercial properties may not want to be reminded of the prison history. Has there been a design review? No cross sections! Why are there so many buildings on the site?  How will site density impact on the neighbourhood?  Density vs sunlight? It is very easy to show sun angle shadows maps for summer and winter. These shadow maps show exactly where the sun is blocked. Can also be a moving video. Potential poor natural lighting conditions at lower floors, more drawings like sectional drawings could show more overall information in relation to site level changes (10 meters) Why is the service and heritage element minimised? No reflection of site history. Parts of the prison building. Can reuse of brick especially in the landscaping? Rubble crusher on Ocado site, made a LOT of noise We want this to be an exemplar project