Supporters applaud St David's Church redevelopment

By LiseS

Thursday, February 04, 2010, 09:47

A Grade I-listed Holloway church that has stood vacant since 2004 has finally won planning permission from Islington Council for a £4m redevelopment plan, to include affordable housing and a community centre as well as the restoration of the church building. The Rev Jonathan Rust and supporters from the church community broke into applause when permission was granted at a council meeting on Tuesday.

St David's is to be redeveloped after a long battle for planning persmission.

 

Plans for the redevelopment were rejected by the council last year, because the developers' plans for a seven-storey block of apartments on the site would not have included enough affordable housing for people on the council's housing waiting list. The new plans will include 12 affordable homes within the block of 42 apartments.

800 local people signed a petition asking the council to approve the new plans, which include a new vicarage as well as the community centre and flats.

Mr Rust said after the meeting, “There have been several years of negotiations with Islington Council to get where we are today. This will be a major benefit to the community and we are looking ­forward to getting on with it. There is a myriad of needs that this would go a long way to tackle - health, anti-social behaviour, youth crime, teenage pregnancy."

Councillor Paul Convery,  chair of the meeting, said: "Refusing the previous application has forced the developer to come back with a much better application. I recognise the important work of the church in the community, and I can see the benefits in agreeing to this scheme,” he added.

The community centre will provide facilities for teenagers, young mothers, pensioners and rehabilitated former prisoners.

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