Susie Luke on the Braithwaite House ‘podium’

• CONGRATULATIONS to Susie Luke and fellow Braithwaite House residents for organising to resist Islington Council’s plans to build leaseholder “for sale” housing on their communal outdoor space.

It’s clear from the comments of former housing lead councillor Diarmaid Ward, now executive member for finance, planning and performance – what a big brief for the deputy leader – that a planning application is shortly to be submitted for the scheme.

Let’s hope the Bunhill ward residents can stop that. Once it reaches planning committee, it will be almost impossible to prevent permission being granted.

Islington’s estates building projects are dictated by a fixed number of homes Cllr Ward and previous Town Hall colleagues have chosen to impose on the country’s most densely populated local authority area. The Holloway ward councillor has even inscribed the figures as his Twitter profile picture @diarmaid_w.

Anxious to get their hands on central government funds distributed via City Hall, protecting the amenity and environmental space of existing residents has never been the council’s priority.

Dixon Clark Court, where all existing green space is being built on, and the York Way estate are but two examples, while proposals for the mega-densification and environmentally damaging total demolition of the New Barnsbury Estate are expected any time.

It’s to be hoped that Una O’Halloran, appointed to the executive for the first time with responsibility for the new post of homes and communities, is listening.

Readers were recently told by Cllr Gary Heather that “No Labour councillors are expected to follow a party line. Indeed all councillors are expected not to do that”, (Scrutiny is so important to councillors, April 1).

Cllr O’Halloran now has the opportunity to demonstrate that independence. A tenant herself, it’s to be hoped she will visit Braithwaite House urgently and so witness first-hand the concerns of Ms Luke, Clare Davies, and other estate residents.

MEG HOWARTH
Ellington Street, N7