Punk guitarist in bin dispute over plans for Holloway Road office block

The former guitarist of punk group The Slits has described as unacceptable plans to extend an office block that borders her north London home.

Viv Albertine said the proposal to add two storeys and a bin site to the building in Holloway was “ill-conceived.”

The plans were rejected by 16 residents living in the street off Hornsey Road, which Paul Anthony House backs onto.

A Paul Anthony House spokesperson said their concerns have been understood.

Residents wrote to Islington Council to express their concerns over the potential impact on the “peace and cleanliness” of their street.

They also expressed concerns over loss of privacy and the potential noise and disruption from the construction site.

Ms Albertine told the council meeting, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We vehemently oppose access to bins for a five-storey commercial building being placed in the middle of the street. The character of this end of the road has completely changed.

“Paul Anthony House are proposing storing bins for five storeys of offices beneath a young couple’s kitchen and bedrooms. They saved up for a deposit on their first home and are going to find themselves living with their bedroom and kitchens over a stinking, noisy bin store. It’s totally unacceptable.

“The street has been vastly improved by traffic calming measures and transformed by its residents into an award-winning family friendly street. It must not become a dangerous, noisy, dirty hotspot.”

Paul Anthony House has planned to access the property via the street in question after Transport for London (TfL) blocked access from the Holloway Road side because of a nearby bus stop.

“I can understand the concerns there. TfL strongly objected to continued refuse collection and servicing from Holloway Road,” a spokesman said.

“[Holloway Road] is a red route, and there’s a bus stop immediately outside our site. It’s not ideal, but it does exist. We have therefore agreed to move any servicing to take place on the road.”

Islington Council committee chair Cllr Martin Klute (Lab, St Peter’s) added: “Hopefully necessary adjustments can be made to the scheme.”