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What a result: homes, jobs and a world-class stadium!
• FOR the past 10 years Arsenal, in liaison with Islington Council and the Greater London Authority, has been involved in the largest and most successful regeneration project in London. So far, together we have transformed more than 60 acres of derelict land and delivered more than 2,500 new homes, a new waste recycling centre, hundreds of new jobs and business opportunities for local firms, new open spaces and, not forgetting, a world-class football stadium.
Three thousand people now live in the Arsenal Regeneration Area, which stretches from Highbury to Caledonian Road and at least 60 per cent were previously Islington residents or on Islington’s housing waiting list. Since 2005, 1,100 new affordable homes have been completed and occupied.
Tuesday is decision time for the final piece of the regeneration jigsaw. As your readers will know, the original plan for Queensland Road, which has planning consent, included proposals for towers of a very similar height. The major difference is that the revised plans include more housing instead of offices and an Arsenal Sports Centre is included instead of a cinema.
Here are some of the benefits. More than 40 hours a week of community-based activities would take place at Arsenal Sports Centre. This is a significant increase on the 17 hours a week previously provided at the JVC centre and identified within the original S106 agreement. The sports centre will support and provide a venue for a range of community programmes, all of which are free to users.
In affordable housing terms, 50 per cent of the 700 proposed new homes will be affordable – socially rented and intermediate rented – and will be managed by Newlon, the registered social landlord responsible for all the other affordable housing in Drayton Park and Hornsey Street. These new homes will benefit Islington residents currently in housing need.
When we first embarked on this project nearly 10 years ago, the critics said we only wanted to build the stadium and that all the community benefits – new homes, new jobs and an improved environment – would go by the wayside. Well, we have proved the critics wrong. There are thousands of local people who used to be in housing need now living in decent, modern homes. Islington has the most advanced waste recycling centre in the UK. We are proud of what has been achieved.
Ten years ago a key requirement for the council was the completion of all the regeneration work, particularly the Queensland Road area. It would be ironic, if not inexplicable to the people of Islington, if this final piece of the largest and most successful regeneration project in London is not supported wholeheartedly by Islington councillors.
KJ FRIAR
Director, Arsenal FC
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