• IN her interview with Islington housing lead councillor, Diarmaid Ward, Vanessa Feltz described the imminent destruction of seven trees on the council’s own Dixon Clark Court estate as a “loss to the area” of a “beautiful copse…”.

The town-hall administration has said repeatedly that building 550 new council homes by 2020 was a manifesto promise made at the last election and that this landmark site has to go as part of its politically set target to reduce the 14,000 applicants on the housing waiting list.

It’s unclear how many homes were built under the Islington’s previous target of “up to 500 new council homes” (2014-19 Housing Strategy Action Plan).

Look further on the council’s web pages, however, and this can be found: “Residents on the housing register have told us that if they knew how unlikely it was that they would be housed, they would have considered other options earlier like moving into private rented accommodation in cheaper areas, downsizing or swapping homes.” (https://www.islington.gov.uk/housing/finding-a-home/council-housing).

Regrettably this official statement has not stopped Cllr Ward sneering on Twitter at the very idea of Islington residents leaving the borough for want of a council home.

So is the council really intent on destroying an iconic green space with mature trees at least 60 years old for an additional 25 on-site council homes, a number which is likely to be reduced even further under Right to Buy, as even the 2018 planning committee report on the scheme acknowledges? (Debate on this beautiful ‘little forest’ must go on, October 16). This truly beggars belief.

The DCC block is managed by a TMO, tenant management organisation. Those attending last week’s meeting expressed: unanimous support for saving the trees; concern about “crowding” of the existing site which they see as becoming a “thoroughfare” for additional residents should the scheme go ahead; and continued unanswered worries about the loss of green space, particularly the extensive communal garden loved by the estate’s children at the rear of the site.

As one resident has put it to another: “I am so sad to see these things happening in our building. I have seen them (the trees) for more than 26 years. Seen them through the windows changing colours they made me feel always I had company and hope for a better future. So sad to see this thing happening to us all.”

It’s absurd even to be considering chopping these down, as mature trees should never be removed except in extreme circumstances such as danger to life.

In light of the now widespread knowledge that the “little forest” could go any time soon, the estate’s residents should be granted the courtesy of being asked directly whether or not they support this.

In the meantime elected members might like to visit the entire site, looking closely not only at the trees but the rear garden beloved by residents and their children.

MEG HOWARTH
Ellington Street, N7