PEABODY FAMILY VOICE
Invites you to
‘What future for the old Holloway Prison site?’
Monday, 9 September 2019, 7 p.m.
Pembury Community Centre, 1 Atkins Square, Dalston Lane, London E8 1FA
In March 2019 the Mayor of London awarded Peabody Housing Association the contract to redevelop the old Holloway Prison site. The land was sold for £81 million, and Peabody were provided with a loan of £42 million from the Mayor of London’s Land Fund, on the understanding that Peabody would ensure that 600 of the 1000 homes on the site are ‘genuinely affordable’, with 400 at social rents.
Campaigners feel the land should have been kept in public ownership for council homes, instead of being put in the hands of a private company and unaccountable to the Community. There should be a clear commitment from Peabody to consult at every stage and provide detailed plans of their proposals – with local residents and community groups to be represented in all discussions and on working groups. Local community groups are concerned that Peabody is trying to rush through a planning application without giving local people a proper opportunity to comment, and are keeping the terms of their loan from the GLA secret.
The Holloway development has wider implications for all Peabody residents, as well as residents in all other housing associations, so come and join members of community groups including Peabody Family Voice, Community Plan for Holloway, Women in Prison, Islington Homes for All, and others, as we try to get answers from Peabody to some questions, of which there are many, but here’s a few to start with:
* Peabody had a surplus of £148 million last year, so, as a charity, why do they need to borrow £42 millions for this development?
* With the coming slump in the property market, especially in London, what happens if Peabody can’t pay this loan back?
* As Peabody is getting £42 million of public money, how come they are only proposing to provide 400 social homes out of a total of 1,000?
* It seems that Peabody is already backing down on previous promises that there would be a fully functioning Women’s Building on the former site of the largest women’s prison in the country. Can we be sure that this will remain a priority in the redevelopment?
The opening speakers will be: Nick Wakeling from Plan4Holloway, Claire Cain from Women in Prison and a representative from Peabody.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Email: hello@pfvoice.org.uk