Resident Luca Gamberi looks at plans for Finsbury Leisure Centre and the surrounding area at the public consultation on Tuesday

A SKYSCRAPER has been included in plans to redevelop the almost 50-year-old Finsbury Leisure Centre and its surrounding football pitches.

The 20-storey tower was revealed at a public consultation on Tuesday, held in the Norman Street leisure centre near Old Street, where council officers were challenged by disgruntled residents and footballers.

The site has been earmarked for development for more than a decade, while a previous attempt to overhaul it in 2017 came unstuck after opposition from locals.

Luca Gamberi, 31, who bought his home in Paton Street two months ago, said he was concerned about a reduction in light and felt like his home was “being crammed”.

“It’s a blight. It’s huge,” said Eamon Gately, who lives in nearby Lever Street, about the residential tower.

He manages the popular City of London Football Club who train there and worries there will be nowhere for his 200 youngsters to train during the building work. He said the smaller pitches planned for the roof of the leisure centre won’t be as good and matches may have to end earlier.

For John Clemmow, 63, who has been playing football there with his friends for just under 30 years, coming twice a week whatever the weather, the redevelopment would spell the end.

“It’s one of the most important things in our lives,” he said. He thinks his team will “break up”.

Planning chiefs believe they have struck the right balance between those who use the popular football pitches and the borough’s dire housing need.

There are 15,000 currently on the housing list, while 90 per cent of queries sent to Bunhill councillors are about housing in the ward, according to local councillor Phil Graham.

John Clemmow

Deputy leader Diarmaid Ward billed the development as a “once in a generation” opportunity to create just under 100 council homes while another 100 homes will be sold privately to pay for the scheme, which will also include a health centre.

But the council’s latest scheme for the area has jarred with those who use the site or live nearby.

Trevor Hankins, chair of the Guinness Court Tenants Association in Lever Street, called for a public meeting.

Describing the football pitches as essential to keeping youngsters out of trouble, he said: “Do not balance kids’ futures [against housing needs]. We talk about exercise. We talk about talking to each other. Idris Elba was on the TV last night talking about knife crime. London is lawless. You must not take anything away from the youths.”

A petition to save the pitches has gained almost 2,000 signatures.

Others argued the open space provided by the square should not be built on.

Charterhouse Square’s Helen Burggraf said public squares are the lifeblood of communities in countries such as Italy – and should be venerated and protected here too.

Cllr Graham and fellow ward councillors Troy Gallagher and Valerie Bossman-Quarshie are in favour of the plan, although she cautioned she wanted to see “like for like” space on the football pitches and residents’ concerns are properly addressed.

“The open space that’s there, we’re talking about the football pitches. You can only use them if you pay for them. It’s not like you can go in there with your family and have a picnic,” Cllr Graham said.

“This will be a massive improvement to the area, which will provide much-needed sports facilities as well as housing and medical facilities. There’s no downsides.”

Islington intend to submit a planning application by spring and start building work next year.

If all goes to plan, the new leisure centre will open in 2027 with residents moving into their homes within four years.