Lib Dems Council Announces First Council Housing for Twenty Five Years.

5.16.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 15th Aug 2007

Islington Lib Dems have announced proposals to build the first new Council Housing in the borough for over 25 years.

The first four sites have been identified and residents will be consulted about the proposals.

Sites are

65-79 Boleyn Road

Mora Street Car Park

Armour Close Garage Site

And Land adjacent to 99 Graham Street

It is the first time in twenty five years that there will be new Council Homes built in Islington. This is due to the Conservative Government stopping council building, and 10 years in which the Labour Government have failed to come good on their promise to allow Councils to build. The Government's new Green Paper on Council housing could take a further two years to turn into action and Lib Dems on Islington Council think this is to long. Much of the funding for the new housing will come from the sale of shops earlier this year.

Terry Stacy: leading the way on new council housing

Council Terry Stacy said. "We are proud to be one of the first council's in London to build new Council homes. There has been real frustration from councils that this path has been blocked to us by the Government, but in Islington we have managed to raise enough capital to invest in the boroughs housing properly. This will give us an opportunity to provide much need family housing in Islington.

"Islington is a place of extremes and with the rising house prices it is only the exceptionally poor and the exceptionally rich that get to move into Islington. With new Council Homes and our commitment to creating affordable housing we are helping all sorts of different people get a home in Islington."

In the last two years an extra 1,300 affordable homes have already been built in Islington, more than Camden, Westminster and Haringey combined.

Ends

Notes to Editors

The decision will go to the Executive Committee in September, after this there will be public consultation, before applications go through the full planning process.

Previous comments on plans to build Council housing

29th December 2006 - "I want Islington Council to start to build its own council houses again so we can seriously cut the number of people on our housing waiting list. In 2007 we will be lobbying the government to allow us to do this and I am sure this is an area where we work constructively with all political parties on the Council." James Kempton in Islington Tribune

11th January 2007 - "Ever secondary school in Islington is being rebuilt, new council homes could be put up." Cllr Andrew Cornwell Islington Gazette

10th April 2007 - "Islington emailed a list of potential projects that "might" benefit from the sell off, such as school refurbishment's and new build-council housing" Evening Standard

13th April 2007 - "new council homes will soon be built in Islington - the first in London for 25 years…Tens of millions of pounds will also be secured to fund the project once the council disposes of a large portfolio of property." Islington Tribune

6th July 2007 - "While, officially, Islington Lib Dems have not announced their plans to build Council homes in the borough - this by the way would make them a rare breed among local authorities in Britain.. But who could find fault with Islington becoming the first council in London to start building council homes again?" John Gulliver Islington Tribune.

26th July 2007 - "Our top priorities are the rebuilding and refurbishment of every secondary school in the borough and the building of the first new council homes for a generation" Cllr James Kempton to Islington Gazette