Give us back the land set aside for community hall

Published: 1 July, 2011

• THE Old Royal Free Residents’ Association has had the land set aside for our community hall taken from us in an underhand way by our housing association, Family Mosaic.

Islington Council (under the previous Lib Dem administration) sold us a parcel of land at the rear of the estate for a nominal sum and kindly agreed to hold the land for us until we needed it. Sadly, our endeavours to build a community hall ran aground on a lack of suitable funding and remained more an aspiration than a reality.

Family Mosaic recently approached us with a plan under which it would build a mixed-use development on our land, comprising a community hall and housing units above. We were absolutely delighted and keen to proceed.

For the plan to go ahead we were advised that ownership of our land should be transferred to Family Mosaic. There was a bit of prevarication from Family Mosaic at this stage and in order to effect some degree of protection for us we asked the council to attach a provision to the ownership transfer limiting the use to which the land could be put.

No sooner had Family Mosaic taken ownership of the land than it advised us it would be building two houses on the land instead. It says it never promised us a community hall, it has no funds or mandate to do so and it is not legally obliged either. It will, however, hold off building the houses for an additional three years to allow us an opportunity to raise funds to build a hall.

In the current economic climate it is extremely unlikely we can raise funds to build our hall and Family Mosaic must know this. Interestingly, the provision attached to the land expires within that three-year period. When it does, Family Mosaic would presumably feel free to do as it wished. Whether the courts would agree is perhaps worth considering.

The new Labour council has declined to support us. Apparently, Family Mosaic has bought it off with a promise of two new houses, and the council takes the view that two houses trump our 192 homes and their residents. This is a sore betrayal from our democratically elected council.

It has become largely accepted that large organisations like Family Mosaic can ignore the small people with impunity. That does not make it right. It has taken advantage of us and morally and ethically it should be held to account. Sadly, we don’t have the resources or power.

We call on Family Mosaic to have the courage to either reverse this injustice or give us back our land so we can seek another partner. We also ask that the council supports residents in their endeavours rather than oppose them.

NEASY SCOTT (CHAIR)
CIARAN LYNAM (SECRETARY)  
SHIRLEY CHANDLER (TREASURER) 
Royal Holloway estate, N1