Islington Council has today started consulting on its draft plan for the future of the Holloway Prison site.

The plan includes the expectation that 50 per cent of any new housing should be genuinely affordable.

The Parkhurst Road site, which closed as a women’s prison last summer, has been the subject of campaigning since May last year. People are calling for community engagement to stop the Ministry of Justice-owned site falling into the hands of private developers.

Islington’s draft document also sets out the need for community facilities, including a “prison legacy” project that could provide services for women.

Housing leader Cllr Diarmaid Ward said: “We welcome all comments.

“There is a dire shortage of affordable housing in London, and this publicly-owned site is a very important opportunity to build some of the genuinely affordable homes that Londoners so badly need.

“This is a large site which can provide a very significant amount of housing. We have tested a number of scenarios, which show that 50 pc of homes can be secured as genuinely affordable housing.

“We believe providing high levels of genuienly affordable housing is not only possible but is the right thing for the future of Islington. This is people’s chance to show they support that belief. We look forward to receiving responses to the draft SPD, which will be carefully considered and taken into account for the final version.”

The council is running two open days at John Barnes temporary library (outside Pangbourne House, Rowstock Gardens, N7 0BD), on September 7 (5pm to 7pm) and September 9 (11.30am to 3pm).

To take part in the consultation, visit islington.gov.uk/consultations