• REGARDING the threatened trees round Dixon Clark Court at Highbury Corner, the essential point is that they form the immediate environment of people’s homes.

Planting other trees elsewhere, as proposed by the council, is no substitute. The block was designed to allow an outlook over trees to every resident, but the council can only see them as a potential building site.

There is a need for more affordable housing but it should not be at the expense of the existing affordable housing. In an inner London borough such as Islington it is highly likely to be so.

The issue needs tackling at a London-wide scale, which the GLA’s limited powers make impossible.

Islington’s residential density is 13,871 people per square kilometre, the GLA area average is 5,447, and that of an outer London borough, such as Enfield, is 4,061, well under a third that of Islington.

Where would you choose to build more housing?

JAMES DUNNETT
James Dunnett Architects, N1