Residents have begun moving into a new Central London council estate which has stood empty since 2024 after a series of delays.
By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter
Residents have begun moving into a new Central London council estate which has stood empty since 2024 after a series of delays.
Last week (March 4) officials launched 66 new council flats at Black Raven Court on the border of Islington and the City of London. Delivered in partnership between City of London Corporation and Islington Council, the new homes – all at social rent – were originally meant to be ready in March 2023, but residents have faced “arduous” delays getting the keys amid wrangling over regulations and contractor changes.
In 2024 the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reported that the project was initially held up by insurance issues relating to some of the building’s brickwork, leading to a dispute between the City and its main contractor, ISG. That same year, ISG went into administration.
By 2025, the Corporation was still finalising safety certification for the outstanding works, meaning the block was still empty 19 months after it was first meant to be ready.
Responding to the official opening last week, Sue Pearson, a former Alderwoman at the City of London Corporation and current Chair of the Golden Lane Estate Residents’ Association (GLERA), told the LDRS: “We are delighted to welcome our new neighbours. The course to get here has been long and arduous and having the building empty, knowing that there are so many people waiting for a decent home, has been depressing.”
The development at the edge of the Golden Lane Estate was funded by the City Corporation, with contributions from Islington Council, a grant from the Greater London Authority, and Section 106 funding.
The Corporation said the new properties feature “contemporary kitchens, generous living space and energy-efficient design to ensure comfortable, affordable homes for individuals and families”.
Cllr Una O’Halloran, Leader of Islington Council, said: “We believe that our residents deserve a safe, secure, and genuinely affordable place to live – and developments like Black Raven Court are at the heart of that.”
Black Raven Court belongs to the same site as the new City of London Primary Academy Islington (COLPAI) school, which has already opened. The development near to the Barbican also contains three commercial units on the ground floor.
The development forms part of the City Corporation’s £300m investment into its housing stock across the capital, including estates in Hackney, Islington, and Tower Hamlets. Black Raven Court’s opening comes weeks after the Regulator of Social Housing identified the Corporation’s serious failings as a social housing provider.
The RSH awarded the Corporation a C3 rating which, while not the lowest C4 grade, indicates “significant improvement is needed”. Helen Fentimen, Chair of the Corporation’s Community and Children’s Services Committee, said the City was “working at pace” to deliver upgrades for residents and that she was “pleased” the regulator recognised action was being taken.
