Published: 27 July, 2012

• THIS week the census results revealed that Islington is now the most densely populated borough in the UK. It also has the smallest amount of green space per person of any London borough. 

Councillor Catherine West’s response to these findings is to claim that her council is “determined to protect green spaces” and that it will “only allow building upon land which has already been built upon”.

This is demonstrably untrue.

One of the first acts of the Labour council on coming to power in 2010 was to establish a centralised planning committee.
 
And one of the first acts of that committee was to grant planning permission for the building of 150 luxury flats on a beautiful ancient
grassland site, the National Children’s Homes (NCH) site in Highbury.

The NCH site had never been built upon.

It was rare and precious.

Residents ran a brilliant “save our secret  garden” campaign but their views were ignored.

Bulldozers swept away the “secret garden” and the ancient grassland was destroyed.

Now the “secret garden” is home to The Loxfords, a chi-chi development with houses for sale starting at £1.37million and so-called affordable
flats on sale at more than £500,000.

Less than a third of the properties are available as social rented housing.

Two blocks there have already been sold to overseas buyers as investments.

The facts speak for themselves.

EMMA DIXON
Islington Green Party