Islington will build 750 new council homes and move ahead with a multi-million pound investment to existing homes and estates

At the heart of our commitment to create a more equal Islington is the belief that everyone deserves a safe, decent and genuinely affordable place to call home.

Today (Tuesday, 15 March) the council announces the extra 750 council homes for Islington, to help tackle the housing crisis.  Local residents will get first priority for the new homes, under Islington’s local lettings policy.

As well as new homes, the work will bring vital apprenticeships to give more local residents a start in construction careers.  The new council homes will be built in line with the council’s plans for a net zero carbon Islington by 2030.

£10 million of the funds – an additional investment also announced today - will be used to transform shared spaces on estates and across Islington. This includes more greenery, improved landscaping, better storage, improved recycling facilities, and better playgrounds and outdoor gyms.

The remaining £145m investment over 2022-2025 will go towards ensuring council homes are energy efficient and achieve reduced carbon output, plus a whole host of upgrades from fire safety to lifts, water tanks and CCTV as well as new kitchens, bathrooms and windows.

Today’s announcement came at a celebration of 26 new council homes, for 112 people, on the Dover Court Estate.  The homes were built across under-used parts of the estate, including replacing derelict garages and a block of old bedsits, as part of a wider project that has created 57 new council homes for the estate.

The new homes are highly insulated, with solar panels to generate electricity and cycle storage, and include homes designed to meet the needs of older residents so they can stay in their own homes for longer.

The project also brought improvements to the estate, including better facilities at Mitchison Baxter Park, a new accessible community space, new play areas, a new ball court, and new flowers, shrubs and trees.

Cllr Diarmaid Ward, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Development, said: “Everyone deserves a safe, decent, and genuinely affordable place to call home - this is an absolutely vital part of our work to create a more equal Islington.

“In Islington, as across London, people face a housing crisis. We will build 750 more much-needed council homes, to help transform the lives of thousands of our residents.  The new homes will also bring more apprenticeships, which have helped give local people a start in successful construction careers.

“Having a safe and decent home is also about the spaces where we live - and we will invest an extra £10 million in our estates, from planting trees and plants, to giving better playgrounds and sports areas.

“Today’s celebration at Dover Court shows how new council houses, and excellent estate improvements, can together make a huge difference to our community and our residents.”