The Ministry of Justice has sold the Holloway Prison site in North London to housing association Peabody, the Islington Gazette reports.

1,000 new homes are planned for the site, and 60 per cent will be genuinely affordable, meaning they will be available at social rent, for shared ownership, or the Mayor of London’s living rent. Over 400 of the homes will be for social rent. A women’s centre and public green space will also be part of the development.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan provided a £42 million loan to Peabody to purchase the land from the Ministry of Justice. The site will be developed in partnership with property developer London Square.

Peabody has signaled that they are committed to working with the council and the Greater London Authority on the development. We hope that they will properly involve local people at all stages of the planning process and ensure the community’s hopes and desires for the site are front and centre during its development.

It is important that as many local people as possible get involved with the Community Plan to maximise the influence the community has on what is built on the site.