Publication from Siân Berry: Letter to Mayor about call-in of Holloway Prison planning application

Dear Sadiq,

Re: Stage 2 referral for GLA/2021/1181/S1 Former Holloway Prison, Parkhurst Road London N7 0NU

Concerned constituents have contacted me regarding the application with LPA Reference Number P2021/3273/FUL:

“Phased comprehensive redevelopment including demolition of existing structures; site preparation and enabling works; and the construction of 985 residential homes including 60 extra care homes (Use Class C3), a Women’s Building (Use Class F.2) and flexible commercial floorspace (Use Class E) in buildings of up to 14 storeys in height; highways/access works; landscaping; pedestrian and cycle connections, publicly accessible park; car (blue badge) and cycle parking; and other associated works.

This application was approved by Islington Council Planning Committee on 8 March, after being deferred by the Committee on 10 February when members expressed their serious doubts about the scheme. Specifically, they raised concerns about its wider strategic impact, the considerable uncertainty about the funding and the risk of potential appeals, which the Council could ill afford.

In the minutes of the 10 February meeting, it states:

“With regards to a Member question about the viability of the scheme and its projection of a £44m deficit and how it aims to address this shortfall, the Project Manager advised that based on their assessment that over time the sales value of the flats will increase and help to reduce the deficit.” [1]

Given these concerns, along with the size of the scheme, its history and importance to north London, I am writing to ask you to direct to become the local planning authority for this application.

I am aware that your Stage 1 report found significant remaining problems with assurances over the women’s centre that this site must provide, and with the amount and tenure of affordable housing. However, I would also urge you to look again at considerations including the following, which the Stage 1 report did not find issue with. These are all matters about which residents have been in contact with me and where there is strong local feeling.

1. Lack of public open space within the plans in an area that is one of the most open space deprived wards in London
2. Poor provision of communal and community facilities within the plans
3. Lack of attention paid to community feedback
   
   From residents who have been in touch with me, it’s apparent that there has been a hyper-focussed community around Holloway who are desperate for positive proposals for this highly significant site and have provided feedback and commentary throughout the process. However, this community engagement appears not to have not been used to develop the scheme being put forward.
   
   I have been told: “The consultations by the developer never materialised in more than name, and any feedback received did not affect the plan. The council itself is failing to inform the local population of the significant impact, and by allowing the applicant to submit over 300 documents with over 10,000 pages and no index to the content, and leaving only weeks to review this, it puts the local populations most affected, nearly all of whom are council residents, in the impossible position of not knowing how, or even against what to raise an objection to.”
4. Sunlight and daylight impacts on people living in neighbouring homes, where the assessments provided may have miscategorised properties.
5. Height and density – while the site is suitable for taller buildings up to certain levels, the developers have chosen to propose heights that exceed local policy thresholds.

I strongly urge you to direct to become the local planning authority for the application.

Yours sincerely,

Sian Berry

Green Party Member of the London Assembly