• TOBY North supports the construction of more affordable housing, and few do not, (Speak up for the council’s home-building, June 19).

But I imagine he would not want it to detract from the existing social housing, which it would make in his terms “less suitable accommodation”.

There is no doubt that the new housing planned round Dixon Clark Court, especially the six-storey private block, will cramp the site significantly, reducing the open space by 1,250 sq m, so that 36 per cent of the site is built over rather than 9 per cent as at present, and producing homes with a 15-storey wall-face immediately in front of their doors and windows.

New housing needs to be planned on a London-wide basis and be built on a large scale where there is room to do it properly. Islington, the densest borough, is not likely often to be the place.

JAMES DUNNETT
James Dunnett Architects, N1