Highbury Square path opened to public

Published: 12 March 2010
by PETER GRUNER

HIGHBURY Stadium, the former home of Arsenal Football Club turned £150million “gated community”, finally opened up to the public this week.

It followed a report in last week’s Tribune warning of potential confrontation over lack of access through the Highbury Square private housing development.

Highbury West Green councillor Katie Dawson, who has been at the forefront of the campaign to open the path through the development, was delighted by the move.

She said: “We’ve waited a long time for the path to be opened to the public as agreed in the planning consent.

“I would like to thank residents who have fought for the gates to be opened – and in particular the Islington Tribune have regularly reported on the issue.”

The footway was a condition of the scheme imposed by Islington Council to avoid the development – where homes range from £250,000 for an apartment to £1.5m for a three-bedroom penthouse – being completely isolated from the rest of the neighbourhood.

Cllr Dawson, who lives nearby, said that the public footpath through the complex, between Highbury Hill and Avenell Road, was the only benefit the local community received from the scheme.

She added: “It means pedestrians don’t have to make a 10 to 15-minute detour.”