Dixon Clark Court car park near Highbury Corner could become 41 new homes – with 27 for social rent

An artist’s impression of the Dixon Clark Court development in Islington. Photograph: Islington Council

A car park near Highbury Corner could become a 41-home housing development if proposals before Islington’s planning committee tonight get the go ahead.

Dixon Clark Court on Canonbury Lane would see its entrance revamped in the plans, which if approved would create 41 new homes, two thirds of them for social rent.

The decision comes ahead of Islington Council’s executive giving the green light on Thursday to a long-delayed overhaul of the roundabout on Highbury Corner.

Dixon Clark Court estate is currently home to an iconic 15-storey residential tower.

The new plans include 27 affordable homes for social rent and 14 homes for private sale, with new car parking space, trees, rubbish bins, a children’s playspace and bike storage.

These break down as five one bedroom, two three bedroom, one four bedroom, and 19 two bedroom rooms for social rent, and one one bedroom, one three bedroom, and 12 two bedroom rooms for private sale.

The homes will sit inside mews-style blocks ranging from one to four storeys tall, with one block reaching six storeys.

The plans also include demolition of storage units and turning two social rent homes into refuse storage, bringing the net result of the scheme’s impact on the number of homes to 39.

The development is part of the council’s 33-scheme New Build Programme to provide 500 affordable homes by 2019.

The site is not in a conservation area but sits near the Canonbury and Upper Street North conservation areas and close to several listed buildings.

Public consultations were held last August and again in January after changes based on people’s responses.

A council officer’s report for tonight’s meeting recommends that the committee grant planning permission to the Dixon Clark Court proposals.

“Overall, the proposal provides good quality affordable housing, estate-wide improvement and a new community room and is considered to contribute towards delivering mixed and balanced communities”, says the report.

“Though the application includes building on existing green space, the proposal also includes the provision of two new residents’ gardens and an increase in permeable surface across the estate.

“The proposal’s housing density is considered acceptable and the dwelling mix proposed would meet the needs of Islington residents.”