Community Plan for Holloway has today (Wednesday, 26 April 2017) launched a survey about the future of the former Holloway prison site in Islington and is inviting the public to put forward their views.
The survey is part of a two year community engagement project by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, working with local people and community groups to put forward a positive vision for the site.
The survey launch is accompanied by the release of a new report ‘Islington: A local needs analysis’, revealing high levels of poverty, deprivation and housing problems faced by people living in the borough.
The report’s author, Matt Ford, said;
“Despite its reputation as a wealthy borough, Islington has shocking levels of poverty and deprivation. Out of 326 local authorities in England, it is the 24th most deprived and has the 4th highest rate of child poverty in the UK. Given what this report reveals about the problems facing people in Islington, it is clear that the redevelopment of the Holloway site could offer a fantastic opportunity to meet needs and benefit the local community.”
Matt Ford, Research and Policy Analyst, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies
“Community Plan for Holloway is working to ensure that the people of Islington have a say in the future of the site and their needs are prioritised. The Ministry of Justice still owns the prison and rather than simply selling it to the highest bidder it could decide to put the local community first. A sale to private developers is not a foregone conclusion, so it’s incredibly important that people come forward to share their views about the future of the Holloway site.”
Rebecca Roberts, Coordinator of Community Plan for Holloway
The community engagement project was funded by Trust for London. The report can be downloaded here.