The Holloway Prison site

• THE Community Plan for Holloway, CP4H, is a coalition of people and groups, which aims to amplify the views of the community on the redevelopment of the Holloway Prison site.

We were really disappointed to read the claim in the Islington Tribune (Anger as bid for women’s building on jail site ends up with just a single floor, March 18) that we had called for a reduction in social housing in the plans because this is absolutely not the case.

We hold the view that women need both decent affordable homes and services and that the one is indivisible from the other on this legacy site.

We’ve refused to accept that there should be a trade-off between the women’s building and the number of social homes on the site and have advocated for more affordable homes and fewer market homes.

CP4H is proud that we have campaigned for the most social housing possible of the highest quality possible, along with the best possible women’s building and community facilities, and that we have been part of a process where Peabody has had its plans scrutinised to such an extent.

Following pressure they said they will consider converting homes from shared ownership to London Living Rent, which the council agrees is more affordable for Islington’s residents.

They said they will open the new residents’ space to everyone, private and social tenants – for one day a week.

And they promised to fundraise for the fit-out costs of the women’s building, which they maintain they can’t afford and asked the council to pay for.

We intend to continue to hold the developer to account.

We maintain that the plans needed more work done on them to deliver the best possible standards and this was reflected in our submissions.

We will continue to work to ensure local residents have their views heard and in particular that the women’s building has a proper feasibility study and is governed by women’s organisations.

THE COMMUNITY PLAN FOR HOLLOWAY