• NEWLON Housing Trust are the landlords of the Barnsbury estate in Islington and they are planning a complete redevelopment on the site.

Now there is balloting, in which residents decide on whether or not these plans will go ahead. The vote closes at 5pm on March 19, but why are Newlon trying to push this through in the middle of a coronavirus Covid-19 lockdown?

There are vulnerable adults that have to shield or self-isolate until March 31, which will deny them the chance to meet with other residents to talk about their feelings on what Newlon are planning.

Newlon are intending to turn a site that currently holds 358 homes into a 950 home space. That’s an extra 600 homes. We will see a crammed environment which could lead to goodness knows how many problems, including an increase in crime.

Repairs will also be delayed because the current contractors will struggle with the increasing workload. They are already behind as it is. There are still so many faults on the estate that have been neglected for years.

Newlon have not provided any useful feedback for those that intend voting no. They are using social media outlets to promote the yes vote only. Surely they should be offering reassurances for both sides of the ballot?

Newlon should be carrying out the promises they made and upgrading our homes with the new bathrooms and kitchens that they said they would, because we residents are entitled to them.

Should this ballot turn out to be in favour of the no vote, I hope they do not shirk their responsibilities. Hopefully the no vote will prevail.

I advise all residents on the Barnsbury Estate who read this letter to think twice before committing to the yes vote, as this could be something they might regret a few years down the line.

SAMUEL UBA
Barnsbury Residents Group