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We must preserve a hidden gem for future generations
• RESIDENTS in Highbury are being consulted by developers on plans to build 150 new homes on the National Children’s Home (NCH) site, in Highbury Park (Campaigners in fight to save ‘secret garden’, October 23).
The site, which many years ago housed a children’s home, includes a huge area of open land which is a wonderful “secret garden”, almost 100 years old. Amazingly, experts believe the garden is a survival of ancient grazing land on Highbury Hill.
Last year, the council’s east area planning committee drew up and consulted on a planning brief for the site, which proposed up to 100 dwellings, and keeping the garden intact, in its entirety. But, as usual, the developers are pushing to squeeze in as much as they can get away with and their current plans involve building over large areas of existing green land.
The NCH site can certainly provide valuable new housing and, laudably, the NCH wants to see a legacy of public green space, desperately needed in Highbury, an area which has already seen numerous high-density developments in recent years, with minimal provision of public space. Ironically, the green “legacy” already exists in the form of this wonderful ancient green land.
Please join our campaign to preserve and protect this “hidden gem” for future generations of children to enjoy.
Caroline Russell
Islington Green Party
info@islingtongreens.org.uk
• I FIND it incredible that a beautiful green space such as the one at Highbury Park should be considered for development of housing.
The public consultation that has taken place has only asked: “What should be built here?” rather than focusing on how this fantastic space could be used to improve the quality of life for residents, which is a stated aim of the council’s Local Development Framework.
Maggi Lydon
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