Campaigners show red card to council over plans to redevelop Islington’s Finsbury Leisure Centre
By Julia Gregory, Local Democracy Reporter
Campaigners staged a protest over their fears they could lose football pitches using by hundreds of players every week as part of a makeover of an Islington leisure centre.
The council’s deputy leader Diarmaid Ward words were greeted with boos as he told residents at the full council meeting he was “excited” by the plans for a new Finsbury leisure centre, medical centre and homes – including 100 council flats.
Residents in the public gallery also held up red cards to show their feelings.
The shouts prompted Mayor Marian Spall to remind people the gathering was “not a public meeting”.
Dressed in football kit residents braved the cold to bring their concerns to the town hall and staged a protest before the meeting.
Islington council wants to redevelop the Finsbury leisure centre and build homes on part of the sports pitches, putting some of them on the roof instead.
Residents said the plans would be “detrimental for the well-being of Bunhill residents and the local gardens.”
They said the council’s scheme – yet to be fully outlined- would see overdevelopment in the UK’s most densely populated borough and could impact on the Grade I listed St Luke’s church which is home to the London Symphony Orchestra.
Campaigners from Better Bunhill said: “We need to protect much needed open space for children and everyone’s well-being. This is also a chance to set a precedent for the future of London’s livability.
“It’s also a last chance to save the mature trees, light levels, the football pitches and Bunhill from over development.”
Resident Luke Howard asked the council how it would work to expand the “current lack of open space” in the borough and use surplus unused offices around the St Luke’s area to meet the borough’s housing needs.
Cllr Ward, who is the executive member for finance, planning and performance said the council “is committed to building more council homes for residents and creating more green space in the borough.
He said there “is no evidence of surplus office space” in the area and there were more planning applications to refurbish offices.”
“There is a careful balance to be struck between providing genuinely affordable homes, an inclusive economy and social needs and ensuring ouropen spaces and biodiversity is improved.”
“This balance is particularly challenging in high density areas like St Lukes.”
He added that the local plan would set the right balance between enabling inclusive growth to take palce, whilst protecting and enhancing the local environment.”
Mr Howard said residents recognised homes were needed but the borough is the most densely populated in the UK.
“We don’t believe the plan will protect the green space. It will have a detrimental impact on the green space and on the residents.”
He said knocking down the leisure centre is not a green option and asked the council to rethink and to “keep the pitches as they are as the teams who use the pitches don’t want be put on the roof.”
Cllr Ward said: “”I do want to work with you and make sure your views are heard.
“I will make no apology for 100 new council homes.”
His comments were greeted with boos.
He said every councillor meets residents “in dire housing needs” and there are 14,000 people on the housing register.
“I am very excited about the brand new leisure centre, new medical cente, the brand new football pitches and 100 council homes for families in desperate need. It is a wonderful development.”
“I would dearly love to build 100% council homes on the site.”
He said the only reason it had to build homes for sale is to help fund the project and blamed lack of government support.
