Islington Council has formally expressed its support for a proposal to establish a Women's Building on the former Holloway prison site, a move hailed as life-saving support that could stop women coming into contact with the criminal justice system and improve lives across this borough and London.

The decision was made during a Council meeting on Thursday, July 2, 2026, where councillors debated and voted on various community and housing matters, as detailed in the Public reports pack.

Councillor Devon Osborne raised the issue, inquiring if the Executive Member for Inclusive Economy and Planning, Councillor James Potts, would formally support a proposal by a coalition of women's and community organisations for temporary stewardship of the Holloway Women's Building. Councillor Potts responded with strong support for the initiative, encouraging Peabody, the developers responsible for the site, to engage constructively with the coalition and give their proposal full consideration.

The Holloway Women's Building is seen as a significant opportunity to create a vital resource for women, particularly those who have experienced the criminal justice system or other forms of disadvantage. The proposal envisions the building as early intervention and prevention that will relieve pressure across the whole system. They keep children out of care, they reduce demands on social care and mental health services. The coalition also specifically mentions women once incarcerated in HMP Holloway and highlights that every pound invested in women's centres like this returns £2.75 to the economy.

The construction of the building is proceeding as part of the wider Holloway Park development, with the shell of the women's building already in place. The construction phase, phase one of the Holloway Park, is underway, and the aim is for the Women's Building to open its doors on time in 2028.

The proposal for temporary stewardship, put forward by a coalition including women's charities, local residents, and specialist funders, aims to ensure that the necessary funding and governance are in place for the building to open its doors as planned. This model is supported by the Centre for Innovation in Voluntary Action. Councillor Potts stated that the decision is formally settling an operator rest with Peabody under the section 106 agreement, and strongly encourage[d] Peabody to engage constructively with the coalition under the terms of the agreement and to give the proposal a full, proper, proper consideration.

However, securing this funding and governance presents a challenge, with Councillor Potts noting that an operator has not yet been identified. The risk of Peabody escap[ing] delivering what it's promised was also mentioned, underscoring the importance of the coalition's stewardship proposal in mitigating these potential issues and ensuring the building's timely opening.

Further details on council matters can be found in the Agenda frontsheet, and questions from members of the public, members of the Council, and members of the Youth Council were also addressed during the meeting.