Published: 3 August 2012

• TWO weeks ago I asked how it was that Islington Council could not put together a coherent site and raise the money to build 274 homes in Central Square.

The housing association, One Housing Group, can do this, so why can’t the council? Especially given its powers of compulsory purchase?

I addressed that question directly to Councillor Terry Stacy, a board member at One Housing Group.

So far, there has been no response.

Predictable, I suppose.

I imagine it’s also predictable that an answer will not be forthcoming from the Labour benches.

But I’m going to give them a slightly different case.

Just down from Highbury Barn, the old Aberdeen Business Centre has been knocked down and what looks like a very large site has been cleared.

There is a sign advertising a large development of luxury houses and flats.

I don’t know how many houses and flats will be built but one could easily imagine something similar to the Highbury estate, where I live, say around 200 family units, maybe more.

 Now, if councillors Catherine West and James Murray want us to agree to developments on our already overcrowded estates, perhaps they will be kind enough to explain, in detail, why it is that the council cannot build at least two fairly large estates when others can.

It looks very much like a case of the poor having to squeeze up to make room for the rich.

RICHARD ROSSER
Highbury New Park, N5