Housing estates consultation on proposals for Gypsy and Traveller sites

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Consultation under Section 105 of the Housing Act 1985

The Council has a duty as a landlord to consult with council tenants and leaseholders who are likely to be affected by the proposals to allocate areas on a number of council housing estates for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation.

There is a separate planning consultation currently taking place between 7 July-18 August 2026 on the Draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan, and leaflets have been sent to all estate residents and leaseholders explaining the proposals. The Plan seeks to identify suitable sites to meet the accommodation needs of local Gypsy and Traveller residents.

Why we are consulting you

We are asking for your responses on issues of housing management. We want to know how this proposal affects you as a council resident or leaseholder, any concerns you may have and what we could do to address those concerns or any negative impacts .

What is being proposed?

The proposals are for small scale, permanent residential Gypsy and Traveller sites on six council housing estates which are listed below. The maps showing each proposed site can be downloaded from this page.

  • Aberdeen Lane

The proposed site is currently occupied by car parking associated with the Aberdeen Lane council estate, as shown on the map in the ‘Proposal maps’ section. The proposed site would have the capacity for one pitch, accommodating one Gypsy and Traveller household. This will mean that this car park would no longer be available for residents and leaseholders who have a parking space in this location.

We recognise that the loss of car parking might be a concern. We are keen to receive views on and better understand peoples’ use of the car parking, including by Blue Badge holders, and whether there will be any changes in future needs for car parking on the estate. As we understand, there is currently parking capacity on Aberdeen Park (a privately managed road) and estate residents may be able to request a parking permit. The Council will continue to engage with estate residents and leaseholders who have a parking space in this location, and options for alternative provision will be explored if this is required.

  • Athenaeum Court

The proposed site is currently occupied by car parking associated with the Athenaeum Court council estate, as shown on the map in the ‘Proposal maps’ section. The car park is at the southern end of the estate behind the block of flats numbered 41 to 52. The proposed site would have the capacity for one pitch, accommodating one Gypsy and Traveller household. This will mean that this car park would no longer be available for residents and leaseholders who have a parking space in this location.

We recognise that the loss of car parking might be a concern. We are keen to receive views on and better understand peoples’ use of the car parking, including by Blue Badge holders, and whether there will be any changes in future needs for car parking on the estate As we understand, there is currently sufficient capacity available in the other car parking area on the estate to accommodate any displaced parking spaces that are currently in use. The Council will continue to engage with estate residents and leaseholders who have a parking space in this location, and options for alternative provision will be explored if this is required.

  • Aubert Court

The proposed site is located on part of the estate green space for Aubert Court, as shown on the map in the ‘Proposal maps’ section. The location is near the boundary with Drakeley Court estate, adjacent to Aubert Park. The proposed site would have capacity for 2-3 pitches, accommodating up to three Gypsy and Traveller households. This will mean that this area of estate green space would no longer available for residents to use for relaxing, play, exercise or walking a dog.

We recognise that the loss of an area of estate green space might be a concern and the Council will carefully consider any loss of green space and the amenity it provides. However, this loss would amount to a small proportion of the overall open green space. With the planned landscaping works proposed on Drakeley Court and Aubert Court estates, the quality of the open green space and residents’ access to it will be improved. Previous consultation on landscaping proposals took place between between May – June 2025, and further details can be found on the project consultation page. At this stage it is considered that the proposal to provide a Gypsy and Traveller site in this location would not significantly affect the landscaping improvement works.

  • Mayville Estate

The proposed site is currently occupied by garages associated with Mayville Estate, as shown on the map in the ‘Proposal maps’ section. The proposed site would have the capacity for up to two pitches, accommodating up to two Gypsy and Traveller households. This will mean that these garages would no longer be available for residents and leaseholders who have a lease for a garage in this location.

We recognise that the loss of garages might be a concern. We are keen to receive views on and better understand how the 12 garages are currently being used (e.g. for car parking, including by Blue Badge holders, for storage etc.) and whether there will be any changes in future needs for garages on the estate. The Council will continue to engage with estate residents and leaseholders who have a garage space in this location, and options for alternative provision will be explored if this is required.

  • Gambier House – Mora Street car park

The proposed site on Mora Street is currently occupied by car parking associated with Gambier House, as shown on the map in the ‘Proposal maps’ section. The proposed site would have the capacity for one pitch, accommodating one Gypsy and Traveller household. This will mean that this car park would no longer be available for residents and leaseholders who have a parking space in this location.

We recognise that the loss of car parking might be a concern. We are keen to receive views on and better understand people's use of the car parking, including by Blue Badge holders, and whether there will be any changes in future needs for car parking on the estate.

As we understand, there is currently sufficient capacity available in the other car parking area on the estate to accommodate any displaced parking spaces that are currently in use. The Council will continue to engage with estate residents and leaseholders who have a parking space in this location, and options for alternative provision will be explored if this is required.

  • Upper Hilldrop Estate

The proposed site is located on one of the estate green space areas on Upper Hilldrop Estate, as shown on the map in the ‘Proposal maps’ section. The green space is located adjacent to the entrance onto Carlton Road for the car parking next to Leith House. The proposed site would have capacity for one pitch, accommodating one Gypsy and Traveller household. This will mean that this green space is no longer available for residents to use for relaxing, play, exercise or walking a dog.

We recognise that the loss of an area of estate green space might be a concern and the Council will carefully consider any loss of green space and the amenity it provides. However, given that there are additional, more prominently located areas of estate amenity space on Upper Hilldrop Estate, residents’ access to open space would not be significantly reduced.

Site management

We recognise that there may be questions or concerns related to how the proposed sites would be managed. These proposals aim to provide permanent homes for Gypsy and Traveller families who already live in Islington, often in social housing, but need accommodation that better suits their way of life.

The sites will be permanent residential sites. Occupiers of Gypsy and Traveller sites are charged rent, Council Tax and utilities bills the same as other residential dwellings. Each site will be designed to offer good quality accommodation for occupants. All sites will be provided with essential utilities: water, electricity and sewerage. Gypsy and Traveller sites are charged utility bills, the same as other residential dwellings. The council has a duty of care to provide rubbish collection services to all households in Islington and dispose of residents’ waste. This same duty will apply to all Gypsy and Traveller sites.

The council intends to manage the sites directly and work closely with residents, local communities and support services to make sure the sites run smoothly and meet people’s needs. Site residents will have an agreement outlining their rights and responsibilities to make sure the sites are well run.

How to respond to the housing estates consultation?

The housing estates consultation is taking place between 27 July and 1 September 2026.

We are keen to hear your views on the following questions:

1. Please tell us if the proposal is likely to affect you and how?

2. Please tell us how you think we could address any issues that you have raised?

3. Do you have any other comments on this proposal?

There are four ways to respond to the housing estates consultation:

  • Fill in the online survey below;
  • Email: Service.Development@islington.gov.uk
  • Post by writing to the following address: Freepost RTXU-ETKU-KECB, Planning Policy, Islington Council - 2nd Floor, Town Hall, Upper Street, LONDON, N1 2UD;
  • Attending one of the information sessions at Islington Town Hall on 13 August between 6-8pm or 17 August between 12.30-2.30pm (see details below – you must sign up for these sessions if you wish to attend).

We are holding information sessions where you can ask council officers questions and find out more about all the proposed sites. To sign up for a 30-minute slot on one of these dates, please go to the Eventbrite page where you can register for a session.

If you do not have digital access, you can register in person at the Islington Town Hall reception (9am-5pm from Monday-Friday). Please note you can only attend one of the information sessions if you have signed up.

If you are responding by email or post, please include the words ‘Response to Housing Act consultation on Gypsy and Traveller site proposals’ in your response. This will help us understand the specific issues related to housing management.

The planning consultation on the Draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan is running in parallel and you might have received a separate notification and a planning consultation leaflet.

If you are also responding separately to the planning consultation, please follow the information set out in the planning consultation leaflet, or access the Let’s Talk Islington page https://www.letstalk.islington.gov.uk/gypsy-and-traveller-local-plan-review

Consultation information

The consultation period for feedback on the Islington Gypsy and Traveller site proposals on council housing estates closes on 1 September 2026.

Inappropriate comments that make use of stereotypes and discriminatory language to characterise the Gypsy and Traveller community will be rejected.

A summary of the comments will be made public, and we will remove names and personal information. Providing your address will help us better understand the specific housing management impacts of the proposals. For more information on the basis on which we process, use and store your information, please refer to the council’s privacy policy: Privacy policy | Let's Talk Islington.

What happens next?

Responses to the housing consultation will be carefully considered, alongside responses to the planning consultation, and changes may be made to the proposals.

As part of the separate plan-making process, the Plan will be reported to a meeting of the Council’s Executive and then seek approval at Full Council later this year. Following this, the Draft Plan will be submitted for an independent examination by Planning Inspectors by the end of December 2026. The timetable for the examination will be provided by the Planning Inspectorate.

Should any of the proposed sites be adopted, there will be individual planning applications for each site, and further consultation will be carried out at that stage.

Consultation under Section 105 of the Housing Act 1985

The Council has a duty as a landlord to consult with council tenants and leaseholders who are likely to be affected by the proposals to allocate areas on a number of council housing estates for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation.

There is a separate planning consultation currently taking place between 7 July-18 August 2026 on the Draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan, and leaflets have been sent to all estate residents and leaseholders explaining the proposals. The Plan seeks to identify suitable sites to meet the accommodation needs of local Gypsy and Traveller residents.

Why we are consulting you

We are asking for your responses on issues of housing management. We want to know how this proposal affects you as a council resident or leaseholder, any concerns you may have and what we could do to address those concerns or any negative impacts .

What is being proposed?

The proposals are for small scale, permanent residential Gypsy and Traveller sites on six council housing estates which are listed below. The maps showing each proposed site can be downloaded from this page.

  • Aberdeen Lane

The proposed site is currently occupied by car parking associated with the Aberdeen Lane council estate, as shown on the map in the ‘Proposal maps’ section. The proposed site would have the capacity for one pitch, accommodating one Gypsy and Traveller household. This will mean that this car park would no longer be available for residents and leaseholders who have a parking space in this location.

We recognise that the loss of car parking might be a concern. We are keen to receive views on and better understand peoples’ use of the car parking, including by Blue Badge holders, and whether there will be any changes in future needs for car parking on the estate. As we understand, there is currently parking capacity on Aberdeen Park (a privately managed road) and estate residents may be able to request a parking permit. The Council will continue to engage with estate residents and leaseholders who have a parking space in this location, and options for alternative provision will be explored if this is required.

  • Athenaeum Court

The proposed site is currently occupied by car parking associated with the Athenaeum Court council estate, as shown on the map in the ‘Proposal maps’ section. The car park is at the southern end of the estate behind the block of flats numbered 41 to 52. The proposed site would have the capacity for one pitch, accommodating one Gypsy and Traveller household. This will mean that this car park would no longer be available for residents and leaseholders who have a parking space in this location.

We recognise that the loss of car parking might be a concern. We are keen to receive views on and better understand peoples’ use of the car parking, including by Blue Badge holders, and whether there will be any changes in future needs for car parking on the estate As we understand, there is currently sufficient capacity available in the other car parking area on the estate to accommodate any displaced parking spaces that are currently in use. The Council will continue to engage with estate residents and leaseholders who have a parking space in this location, and options for alternative provision will be explored if this is required.

  • Aubert Court

The proposed site is located on part of the estate green space for Aubert Court, as shown on the map in the ‘Proposal maps’ section. The location is near the boundary with Drakeley Court estate, adjacent to Aubert Park. The proposed site would have capacity for 2-3 pitches, accommodating up to three Gypsy and Traveller households. This will mean that this area of estate green space would no longer available for residents to use for relaxing, play, exercise or walking a dog.

We recognise that the loss of an area of estate green space might be a concern and the Council will carefully consider any loss of green space and the amenity it provides. However, this loss would amount to a small proportion of the overall open green space. With the planned landscaping works proposed on Drakeley Court and Aubert Court estates, the quality of the open green space and residents’ access to it will be improved. Previous consultation on landscaping proposals took place between between May – June 2025, and further details can be found on the project consultation page. At this stage it is considered that the proposal to provide a Gypsy and Traveller site in this location would not significantly affect the landscaping improvement works.

  • Mayville Estate

The proposed site is currently occupied by garages associated with Mayville Estate, as shown on the map in the ‘Proposal maps’ section. The proposed site would have the capacity for up to two pitches, accommodating up to two Gypsy and Traveller households. This will mean that these garages would no longer be available for residents and leaseholders who have a lease for a garage in this location.

We recognise that the loss of garages might be a concern. We are keen to receive views on and better understand how the 12 garages are currently being used (e.g. for car parking, including by Blue Badge holders, for storage etc.) and whether there will be any changes in future needs for garages on the estate. The Council will continue to engage with estate residents and leaseholders who have a garage space in this location, and options for alternative provision will be explored if this is required.

  • Gambier House – Mora Street car park

The proposed site on Mora Street is currently occupied by car parking associated with Gambier House, as shown on the map in the ‘Proposal maps’ section. The proposed site would have the capacity for one pitch, accommodating one Gypsy and Traveller household. This will mean that this car park would no longer be available for residents and leaseholders who have a parking space in this location.

We recognise that the loss of car parking might be a concern. We are keen to receive views on and better understand people's use of the car parking, including by Blue Badge holders, and whether there will be any changes in future needs for car parking on the estate.

As we understand, there is currently sufficient capacity available in the other car parking area on the estate to accommodate any displaced parking spaces that are currently in use. The Council will continue to engage with estate residents and leaseholders who have a parking space in this location, and options for alternative provision will be explored if this is required.

  • Upper Hilldrop Estate

The proposed site is located on one of the estate green space areas on Upper Hilldrop Estate, as shown on the map in the ‘Proposal maps’ section. The green space is located adjacent to the entrance onto Carlton Road for the car parking next to Leith House. The proposed site would have capacity for one pitch, accommodating one Gypsy and Traveller household. This will mean that this green space is no longer available for residents to use for relaxing, play, exercise or walking a dog.

We recognise that the loss of an area of estate green space might be a concern and the Council will carefully consider any loss of green space and the amenity it provides. However, given that there are additional, more prominently located areas of estate amenity space on Upper Hilldrop Estate, residents’ access to open space would not be significantly reduced.

Site management

We recognise that there may be questions or concerns related to how the proposed sites would be managed. These proposals aim to provide permanent homes for Gypsy and Traveller families who already live in Islington, often in social housing, but need accommodation that better suits their way of life.

The sites will be permanent residential sites. Occupiers of Gypsy and Traveller sites are charged rent, Council Tax and utilities bills the same as other residential dwellings. Each site will be designed to offer good quality accommodation for occupants. All sites will be provided with essential utilities: water, electricity and sewerage. Gypsy and Traveller sites are charged utility bills, the same as other residential dwellings. The council has a duty of care to provide rubbish collection services to all households in Islington and dispose of residents’ waste. This same duty will apply to all Gypsy and Traveller sites.

The council intends to manage the sites directly and work closely with residents, local communities and support services to make sure the sites run smoothly and meet people’s needs. Site residents will have an agreement outlining their rights and responsibilities to make sure the sites are well run.

How to respond to the housing estates consultation?

The housing estates consultation is taking place between 27 July and 1 September 2026.

We are keen to hear your views on the following questions:

1. Please tell us if the proposal is likely to affect you and how?

2. Please tell us how you think we could address any issues that you have raised?

3. Do you have any other comments on this proposal?

There are four ways to respond to the housing estates consultation:

  • Fill in the online survey below;
  • Email: Service.Development@islington.gov.uk
  • Post by writing to the following address: Freepost RTXU-ETKU-KECB, Planning Policy, Islington Council - 2nd Floor, Town Hall, Upper Street, LONDON, N1 2UD;
  • Attending one of the information sessions at Islington Town Hall on 13 August between 6-8pm or 17 August between 12.30-2.30pm (see details below – you must sign up for these sessions if you wish to attend).

We are holding information sessions where you can ask council officers questions and find out more about all the proposed sites. To sign up for a 30-minute slot on one of these dates, please go to the Eventbrite page where you can register for a session.

If you do not have digital access, you can register in person at the Islington Town Hall reception (9am-5pm from Monday-Friday). Please note you can only attend one of the information sessions if you have signed up.

If you are responding by email or post, please include the words ‘Response to Housing Act consultation on Gypsy and Traveller site proposals’ in your response. This will help us understand the specific issues related to housing management.

The planning consultation on the Draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan is running in parallel and you might have received a separate notification and a planning consultation leaflet.

If you are also responding separately to the planning consultation, please follow the information set out in the planning consultation leaflet, or access the Let’s Talk Islington page https://www.letstalk.islington.gov.uk/gypsy-and-traveller-local-plan-review

Consultation information

The consultation period for feedback on the Islington Gypsy and Traveller site proposals on council housing estates closes on 1 September 2026.

Inappropriate comments that make use of stereotypes and discriminatory language to characterise the Gypsy and Traveller community will be rejected.

A summary of the comments will be made public, and we will remove names and personal information. Providing your address will help us better understand the specific housing management impacts of the proposals. For more information on the basis on which we process, use and store your information, please refer to the council’s privacy policy: Privacy policy | Let's Talk Islington.

What happens next?

Responses to the housing consultation will be carefully considered, alongside responses to the planning consultation, and changes may be made to the proposals.

As part of the separate plan-making process, the Plan will be reported to a meeting of the Council’s Executive and then seek approval at Full Council later this year. Following this, the Draft Plan will be submitted for an independent examination by Planning Inspectors by the end of December 2026. The timetable for the examination will be provided by the Planning Inspectorate.

Should any of the proposed sites be adopted, there will be individual planning applications for each site, and further consultation will be carried out at that stage.

  • Housing estates consultation on proposals for Gypsy and Traveller sites

    We are asking for your responses on issues of housing management. We want to know how this proposal affects you as a council resident or leaseholder, any concerns and what we could do to address any negative impacts . 

    The consultation period for feedback on the Islington Gypsy and Traveller site proposals on council housing estates closes on 1 September 2026.

    Inappropriate comments that make use of stereotypes and discriminatory language to characterise the Gypsy and Traveller community will be rejected. 

    A summary of the comments will be made public, and we will remove names and personal information. Providing your address will help us better understand the specific housing management impacts of the proposals. For more information on the basis on which we process, use and store your information, please refer to the council’s privacy policy Privacy policy | Let's Talk Islington 

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Page last updated: 29 Jul 2026, 10:14 AM