The Chair of a local residents’ association said the delays to Black Raven Court were “really sad news” for those waiting to move into the flats.
Black Raven Court, which is on the edge of the City of London’s Golden Lane Estate though technically sits just over the border in Islington, has faced a string of issues with the homes sitting empty for well over a year.
The block of 66 flats, held up by repeated delays, remains unoccupied despite hopes residents would have begun moving in this September.
Developed by the City of London Corporation, its occupation has been pushed back several times initially due to a dispute with a contractor.
A spokesperson for the Corporation said Black Raven Court “is in the final stages of achieving building regulation approval”. The development must then be registered with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) and approved before the flats can start to be filled.
The block is on the same site and is part of the same project as the City of London Primary Academy Islington (COLPAI), which has opened. The 66 flats will be split between City and Islington residents.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) wrote last July how residents were expected to start moving into their flats this year. This was despite an update on the scheme in November 2022 which stated the homes would be ready from March 2023.
When the LDRS visited last summer, the school was busy with children heard playing. The flats, though appearing complete, were however quiet and unused.
The issue at the time was understood to relate to a type of board used on the site which, while complying with building regulations, could not be insured. No route forward had been agreed between the City and contractor ISG, with potential adjudication looming. ISG went into administration a couple of months later.
An update on the COLPAI project in February referenced a “change in contractors”, adding the aim was to welcome new residents in the summer.
At a Housing Management and Almshouses Sub-Committee meeting in June, Michael Gwyther-Jones, Head of New Developments and Special Projects, told Corporation members the development was yet to receive its safety certificate.
He added this could take several weeks to get from Islington Council, and that until then the block cannot be registered with the BSR. All going well, he said occupation “should be able to start during September”.
The LDRS understands the Corporation is in the process of finalising certification for the remaining outstanding works. Once this certification has been provided to Islington Council it will be able to grant approval, after which the scheme will be progressed to the BSR.
This, however, means that residents have not been able to begin occupying the flats and so they continue to sit empty.
Sue Pearson, a former Alderwoman at the City of London Corporation and current Chair of the Golden Lane Estate Residents’ Association (GLERA), said: “This is really sad news for the 66 families who are waiting to move into Black Raven Court. Some of the families affected who live on Golden Lane Estate are living in properties that are just not suitable, cold and damp, and they are desperate to move – the promise has been dangled over their head for too long.
“Back in August GLERA were assured by senior City of London officers that the Corporation was not the cause of the delay and this was confirmed again last week when we asked for an update.”
A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation said: “We’re proud to be a social landlord, delivering a multi-million-pound investment in major improvement works across our 12 housing estates, including upgrades to windows, kitchens, bathrooms, heating, lifts, and fire safety. Black Raven Court is in the final stages of achieving building regulation approval.
“Once this is approved, we will register the development with the BSR. Registration with the BSR must be completed and approved before residents can move in.”
