Artistic impression of what the new housing development will look like

A CONSULTATION on the Holloway Prison redevelopment has been launched.

Housing association giant Peabody has unveiled its draft masterplan for the Parkhurst Road jail with up to 1050 homes of which 60 per cent could be “affordable” – but it is not known yet how many will be let at social rent levels.

The draft pan also illustrates a selection of tower blocks rising to 12-storeys with pedestrians and cyclists as the “main priority” as the developers aim to make it a “car-free space”.

The Community Plan for Holloway (CPFH) group has been set up to monitor the scheme and put pressure on Peabody to listen to residents’ views.

Tricia Clarke, a member of the CPFH board of directors and St George’s ward Labour councillor, said: “Lots of people have been contacting us here at Community Plan For Holloway. There’s clearly a huge level of interest in what will be Islington’s biggest housing development for over 30 years. Everyone should respond to the consultation.”

Holloway Prison opened in 1852 and became a female-only prison in early 1900s – the largest in western Europe. In 2015, former justice secretary Michael Gove announced plans to close inner-city prisons and sell sites for housing. Holloway was closed the following year.

Wednesday June 17 will mark four years since the last female inmate left the jail.

The Ministry of Justice sold the former women’s prison to housing association giant Peabody and luxury homes developer London Square for £82m last year. The Mayor of London provided Peabody with a £42m loan from the Mayor’s Land Fund to buy the site.

To view the plans click here