Islington Council is one of the first local authorities in London to start building council housing again.<br><br>Construction of the the first new council housing for a generation was approved at East Area Planning Committee on 24 January. <br><br>10 new low rise family-sized homes will be built on the site of the old Boleyn Road Area Housing Office in N16 which is presently under demolition.<br><br>The last council housing to be built in Islington was 25 years ago in Finsbury. In recent years most affordable housing has been built by housing associations and through financial contributions negotiated as part of planning permissions.<br><br>Cllr Terry Stacy, Islington Council's Executive Member for Housing and Communities, said:<br><br>"Last week's decision from the planning committee is great news and green lights the first new council housing to be built in Islington for a generation.<br><br>"We are taking the initiative because we know there are many Islington families waiting in overcrowded accommodation, the population is rising and many cannot afford to buy their own home.<br><br>"We want all our residents to have somewhere decent to live which is why we are spending millions improving existing accommodation and building new homes.<br><br>"Construction starts this spring. The new buildings are designed to a high environmental specification with eco-friendly and energy saving features."<br><br>All six of the new flats and four new houses at Boleyn Road will be socially rented to those on the council's waiting list. The properties will be managed by Homes for Islington (HfI) - Islington's arms length management organisation.<br><br>Cllr Stacy continued: "We are spending millions and building much more affordable housing than our neighbours despite being one of the most densely populated boroughs in London.<br><br>"But new build alone won't solve the housing crisis - that's why we are also putting money into extensions, reconverting flats back into family sized homes, tackling under-occupancy and releasing private homes kept empty by their owners into the rental market.<br><br>"All this - and our Decent Homes programme - mean more opportunities for Islington families to be raised in good quality accommodation."<br><br>The new build is made possible through anticipated receipts the council negotiated as part of planning permissions for other major schemes in the borough, including office blocks in Finsbury.<br><br><br>ENDS<br><br><br><br>
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009