Islington Council Approves 24 New Social Homes on Harvist Estate

Islington Council's Planning Committee has approved plans to build 24 new social homes on the Harvist Estate, replacing former car parking spaces with much-needed family housing. The decision, made at a meeting on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, saw the committee grant planning permission for two two-storey terraces on Citizen Road. The development will provide a mix of family-sized houses and four wheelchair-accessible flats, all designated for social rent.

The development will include a variety of housing types to meet diverse family needs: four 3-bedroom houses (Type A), two 4-bedroom houses (Type B), four flexible 2/3-bedroom houses (Type D), and ten 2-bedroom houses (Type E). Additionally, four ground-floor wheelchair-accessible 2-bedroom flats (Type C) will be provided.

Construction work on the Harvist Estate development originally began in 2021 and paused in 2022. The current application is a resubmission due to changes in policy and legislation. The development is recommended for approval subject to conditions and a Director's Agreement, with the stipulation that construction must commence within three years of the permission date.

Enhancements and Sustainability

The project includes significant public realm improvements, with 462 square metres of playspace designed to be accessible and feature sensory elements. Extensive tree planting and landscaping are also planned, contributing to a high Urban Greening Factor score. Specifically, 70 new trees will be planted, alongside new hedges, shrubs, bulbs, perennials, climbers, and grasses. The proposal also incorporates rain gardens and meadow planting, which are expected to contribute to biodiversity net gain, with the applicant's report indicating a net gain of 1.45% in area habitat units. The Council's Ecologist considers these enhancements considerable, particularly when compared to the site's previous condition as parking bays.

The development is designed to be highly sustainable, targeting a BREEAM New Construction: Residential 4 Star rating. It will connect to a planned estate energy centre, with projections indicating a 58% reduction in regulated emissions compared to the Part L 2021 baseline. This energy centre is planned to be supplied by Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP), offering residents greater control over their heating and significantly reducing energy costs. The Energy Statement indicates a site-wide reduction of 58% in regulated emissions against the Part L 2021 baseline, though specific operational details of the energy centre are not fully elaborated beyond its connection to ASHPs and the overall target.

Addressing Concerns

During the meeting, councillors discussed concerns regarding the density of the development, with some suggesting the buildings could be taller. Officers explained that the current design was considered optimal for the site's constraints and for delivering family-sized homes with private entrances. Issues around daylighting, private amenity space, and the absence of solar panels on the roofs were also raised.

Specifically, 17 rooms were identified as not meeting the BRE target for daylighting, largely due to current building regulations aimed at preventing overheating, which can impact window size. Furthermore, 14 of the new homes were found to have an under-provision of private amenity space. These identified 'limited harm' factors were weighed against the benefits of the proposal, notably the provision of 100% affordable housing, which were considered to outweigh these concerns.

Amendments were proposed and accepted to conditions regarding construction management plans, specifically to consider school drop-off times. A target for whole life carbon assessments was also set.

Traffic, Parking, and Planning Obligations

The development is described as 'car-free except for Blue Badge parking and existing estate requirements'. Citizen Road would be realigned and narrowed, with a new, larger turning head at the northern end to accommodate refuse and emergency vehicles. Pedestrian and cycle links would be retained, and new cycle parking provision would be made. The road would have intermittent refuse stores along its length. The development is not expected to have a detrimental impact on parking capacity within the Harvist Estate.

The application was approved subject to conditions and a Director's Agreement to secure planning obligations. These include contributions towards carbon offsetting and employment and training initiatives. The Section 106 agreement for the Harvist Estate development includes provisions for 1x placement per 10 residential units = 2 placements for employment and training during construction, and a requirement to comply with the Code of Employment and Training. For the related Elia Mews Car Park development, contributions towards construction apprenticeships, training and carbon offsetting were also secured.

Councillor Martin Klute, Chair of the Planning Committee, noted the benefits of the scheme, including the provision of 100% affordable housing, which he stated outweighed any limited harm identified. The application was approved with the amended conditions.

For more details on the planning committee meeting, refer to the Agenda frontsheet and the Public reports pack.