Still time to ditch tower

Published: 3 June, 2011

• HERE we go again, another chapter in Arsenal’s history of applying to build something so enormous it will still get away with something bigger than should be allowed. Why not, it’s always worked in the past. 

This time, it wants to build a 25-storey student block on a handkerchief-sized plot in Hornsey Road (Fresh wave of students, May 27).

Islington Council, quite sensibly, has a policy to limit student housing, with Labour councillors pointing out that almost a third of the borough’s 18 to 24-year-olds will soon be students living in purpose-built accommodation. 

Councillor Paul Convery has described how too high a proportion of students “worsens the existing high levels of population transience and can result in a range of services, especially clubs, bars and takeaway food establishments, displacing conventional services and businesses. 

“Evidence from cities such as Leeds shows  that a very high concentration of students has an adverse impact on communities. We just want to get the balance right.”

Consultation on this scheme has now been extended, so readers have until June 16 to let Cllr Convery and his colleagues know that here is an opportunity to get it right, to put their money where their mouth is, and to send this tower back to the drawing board. Or will the council let Arsenal’s muscle and money talk louder, as usual?

ANDREW MYER
Highbury ward co-ordinator
Islington Green Party