Islington Council and Higgins Construction welcomed over 400 Crouch Hill residents to celebrate the opening of Brickworks, a new community centre, and 23 new council homes in a community celebration.
Brickworks is a new accessible community centre for the whole of Tollington ward, and includes a café, meeting rooms, kitchens, a sports hall, children’s play spaces, a nursery, therapy rooms, offices for community organisations, a roof garden and music room.
Brickworks also boasts a ‘Changing places’ toilet, which provides additional facilities such as a hoist, a changing bench and a shower for people with profound and multiple disabilities, beyond those usually found in a standard accessible toilet. Brickworks will be managed by the Hanley Crouch Community Association.
New council homes were built along with the new community centre, and sit alongside the building. The 23 new properties are a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom flats, and two of the flats are fully wheelchair accessible. The new homes now house 80 people, and all are for social rent. Higgins Construction was the construction contractor for Islington Council on the Brickworks and housing project.
Diarmaid Ward, Executive Member for Housing and Development, said: “London is facing a housing crisis of staggering proportions, and Islington Council is doing everything it can to help residents into safe, genuinely affordable homes.
“These new 23 council homes form part of Islington Council’s commitment to building 2000 new homes by 2019, including 500 new council homes.
“The fantastic new community centre, Brickworks, is the result of extensive consultation with residents about their needs. Brickworks is a community led project that has delivered some wonderful new spaces and is already acting as a new hub for the community.”
Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North and Hanley Crouch Community Association Trustee, added: “I have been involved with Hanley Crouch Community Association ever since I was first elected as MP for Islington North. It has done wonderful work at The Laundry, giving space, hope and opportunity to young and old alike.
“For me it is an honour to be a Trustee and I am absolutely delighted that the vision of building a new Community Centre with council housing attached in Crouch Hill has actually come to fruition. The beautiful new building will be the opportunity for everyone in our area to use it, enjoy it and for the young and old to achieve their best together.
“Well done Islington Council and all the staff at Hanley Crouch. I also give a special thank you to Colin Adams, Centre Manager for Hanley Crouch Association, for his excellent leadership of the centre and commitment to the local community”.
