• IT took Peabody only a few weeks to process all comments from residents about their latest masterplan and put out a proposal for planning permission.

In those few weeks they produced over 300 documents and over 3,000 (we’re still counting) pages of technical commentary and glossy pictures.

The nearly 1,000 new properties at the former Holloway Prison site will house around 3,500 people, a 30 per cent increase in the ward population.

It is the largest housing development in Islington in over 30 years. The council (at the time of writing) are only allowing residents six weeks to comment.

Even scholars are struggling to access, read, understand, absorb, and comment on the over 300 documents in that short period.

What about those of us who are not technical planning specialists, but are affected by this enormous development?

It would be a spectacular failure of local democracy if the consultation period were not extended to January 31. The prison closed five years ago. Why the sudden rush?

RODERIK GONGGRIJP
Community Plan for Holloway