Islington tribune - News: Casting vote pushes through ‘canyon’ flats amid protests

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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 9 November 2007

Casting vote pushes through ‘canyon’ flats amid protests

A MASSIVE development of shops, flats and offices in the heart of Finsbury has won planning approval amid a storm of protest.
The 10-storey complex of 274 flats fronting Central, Peartree and Seward streets divided councillors at last week’s south area planning committee meeting at Finsbury Leisure Centre. Planning approval was only pushed through on Lib Dem chairman Councillor George Allan’s casting vote.
Last month councillors delayed making a decision on developer Central Street Partnerships’ application to see if it would increase the percentage of affordable and social housing from 42 per cent.
They also requested developers consider a “pepper-potting” approach to the affordable element, which would mean scattering these flats among the private homes.
At last week’s meeting, the developer said “pepper-potting” would be impractical but increased the affordable element to 48 per cent. The flats complex will be one of Finsbury’s highest-density developments.
At last week’s meeting, angry neighbours said the development will plunge them into darkness, as the proximity of the building to existing homes will create a “canyoning” effect.
They objected to the size of the scheme, the resulting increase in traffic, loss of daylight and of being overlooked.
But Cllr Allan said that Mayor of London Ken Livingstone’s targets for affordable housing meant Islington needed at least three developments of this size every year for the next 12 years.

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