In a letter to the Islington Gazette, housing campaigner Glyn Robbins has demanded that the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announces who is in line to buy Holloway prison, as the site still remains empty nearly two years after its closure. The letter reads: ''In summer we witnessed the debacle of prisons minister Rory Stewart telling… Continue reading ‘MoJ needs to tell us who is buying Holloway site’
Author: mattfordccjs
Viability assessment guidance review ‘a move in the right direction’
Marj Mayo of Islington Homes for All welcomed the news that the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors will review its guidance on how viability assessments are carried out for new developments, the Islington Tribune reports. The new guidance will prevent developers from overbidding for land then shirking their affordable housing obligations on the ground that… Continue reading Viability assessment guidance review ‘a move in the right direction’
Local campaigners lobby London Mayor
On Tuesday 23rd October Islington Homes for All campaigners held a demo outside the Mayor of London's People's Question Time taking place in Islington Assembly Hall to demand action around the Holloway prison site. The local activists repeated their calls for: maximum council housing to be built on the Holloway prison site Mayor of London Sadiq… Continue reading Local campaigners lobby London Mayor
Council’s planning victory over developer to be enshrined in national guidance
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors will soon be addressing affordable housing requirements in their national guidance, reports the Islington Gazette. This comes after a recent landmark High Court judgement ruling that developers can't overpay for land and subsequently refuse to abide by local authority planning policies on affordable housing on the grounds of profit loss.… Continue reading Council’s planning victory over developer to be enshrined in national guidance
Activist speaks about Holloway campaign at event on housing crisis
Andy Bain, who is involved in the Community Plan for Holloway, wrote a letter in the Islington Tribune about a talk he gave earlier in October in which he covered the campaign around the Holloway prison site. In the letter Andy points out that the announcement of the preferred bidder is now 11 months overdue… Continue reading Activist speaks about Holloway campaign at event on housing crisis
Calls for London Mayor to build council housing on Holloway site
Islington Homes for All have launched a petition calling for London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, to negotiate with the Ministry of Justice to keep the Holloway site in public ownership and to use the Affordable Homes Fund to build council houses there, alongside facilities for the local community, particularly women. The petition reads: Last November London's… Continue reading Calls for London Mayor to build council housing on Holloway site
Community and Architects Day
Thanks to everyone who came to the Community and Architects Day at the Williamson Street Community Centre last Saturday. We had a brilliant turnout from the local community who spent the day in conversation and planning with Andy and Steve from Manalo and White architects. The day started with an open-ended discussion about what people… Continue reading Community and Architects Day
Government confused about when it will announce bidder
Contrary to what prisons minister Rory Stewart told the House of Commons Justice Committee last week, a buyer for the Holloway prison site will be announced this summer. Stewart had told MPs that a bidder would be in place by the end of the year, but the Ministry of Justice has now said an announcement… Continue reading Government confused about when it will announce bidder
Bidder in place by end of year
At a Justice Committee meeting yesterday, Rory Stewart announced that a bidder will be in place for the Holloway site by the end of the year. Stewart said that the prison population was likely to increase and the Holloway site sale would provide funding for new prisons to cater to that demand. Deputy Director at… Continue reading Bidder in place by end of year
Developer must meet affordable housing requirements
Islington Councillor Diarmaid Ward has warned that any potential buyer of the Holloway Prison site should not try to overbid for the land in the hope that they can negotiate down the amount of affordable housing they provide on it later on. Ward's comments came in an article written for the Centre for Crime and… Continue reading Developer must meet affordable housing requirements
