| |
Towers will be eyesore
• I ENDORSE the two letters last week about the inadequacy of the public consultation and the features of Arsenal’s revised plans for the redevelopment of Queensland Road (Leave site empty rather than cram in more flats, November 28).
The replacement of a cinema complex by a sports centre is not a concession. As a condition of its obtaining planning permission to build the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal made a legal undertaking to replace the JVC sports centre that was part of the Highbury Stadium. Arsenal reneged on this commitment.
It is a sad reflection on the relationship between Arsenal and Islington Council that it took a sustained campaign to shame Arsenal into meeting one of its legal obligations, when this should have been enforced as a matter of course by the council.
Among other things, the plans propose five towers of 10 to 15 storeys of residential accommodation above a plinth of mainly commercial space. It appears that the maximum height has been increased to 49.4 metres, way above Islington’s own 30-metre height restriction in this predominantly residential area of two- to four-storey houses.
This area is not included in the list of central London locations where the Mayor will promote tall buildings. The proposed towers, which entirely lack architectural merit unlike the stadium itself, will be an eyesore, blocking what remains of the view of Hampstead Heath for residents to the east of the stadium.
They would be an unacceptable replacement for the one- to two-storey buildings on this small industrial site.
Arsenal bought this with the help of the council and is clearly motivated only by making a huge financial gain rather than fulfilling the legal undertakings it made for match-day parking.
The density of 933 hr/ha (habitable rooms per hectare) is significantly higher than that for the previous application, with totally inadequate open space for residents.
The number of new homes remains approximately the same. Added to the previous and other planned Arsenal residential developments, this brings the total to 2,500 residential units. Yet there is still no provision for extra services to cope with this increase in numbers, particularly pre-school, school and healthcare provisions.
Arsenal is offering an inducement of 50 per cent “affordable” homes. But affordable to whom? On Arsenal’s previous record, it will not be providing housing for people on the council’s or housing associations’ waiting lists, but attracting into the UK’s highest-population-density borough people from outside Islington who can afford the purchase and rental prices.
I hope that publicity in the Tribune will partly compensate for Islington’s inadequate consultation process. Readers should send their comments to the Planning Office, marking them “Queensland Road P082018”, with copies to their local councillors, Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn and Mayor of London Boris Johnson.
John Hands
Battledean Road
N5
|
 |
|
|
| |
| |
| |
