Tower Block Tensions: Islington Residents Make Plea for Change

Residents from two tower blocks in Islington are quarrelling over antisocial behaviour in the area, and it was all brought to a head by an angry letter pleading with perpetrators to stop.

Turnpike House and President House are two neighbouring blocks, both pointing the finger at each other – reports of noise disturbances, cannabis smoking and other drug offences are commonplace. One concerned resident in Turnpike House told me “I just don’t know what more we can do. It’s hard because we obviously all want to live together happily, but something’s got to give.”

As tower blocks are usually a community within themselves, disturbances don’t go unnoticed and residents want Islington Council and local police to take their concerns seriously.

I have lived on the estate since July 2022, and ‘low-level’ crime has been a prevalent issue since moving in. It is clear that the lack of social amenities provided to residents, such as a community centre and affordable food shopping, is a reason for this behaviour. The mixture of council and privately-owned flats resulta in people from a plethora of backgrounds living alongside each other.

A week ago, a letter was sent out to everyone living in both tower blocks from one particularly aggravated resident, who complained about smoking in communal areas, loud noise late at night and the general poor condition of the blocks’ upkeep. The letter stated that the police had been notified about the disturbances, and the resident would not hesitate to call them again upon seeing anyone repeat such behaviour.

The community feeling in the two blocks is crumbling. The relationship between their inhabitants and the authorities is difficult, with residents feeling nobody cares as their quality of life is being severely diminished.

Local news publication EC1 Echo has reported that ‘most thefts [are] going unpunished’ in London, largely due to austerity and shortage of police officers. The article also touches on low-level crime such as antisocial behaviour. Although higher-priority cases are still being covered, this neglect of council-owned buildings is causing great damage to the communities in those areas, as well as offering no rehabilitation for the perpetrators themselves.

“Something’s got to give” – concerned resident of Turnpike House

King’s Square Estate – home to both tower blocks – dates back to the 1960s when it was built by Finsbury Borough Council. Since 2013, a community park and allotment has been built on King’s Square Garden which has improved the quality of living, but the rest of the park remains as a communal area which is often the scene of antisocial behaviour.

Some local people have questioned the priorities of the council, which spent a lot of money restoring the arch at the foot of Turnpike House to its ‘former glory’ – an ode to its cultural significance, but arguably not the most intelligent use of public money during a period of austerity.

There are organisations working toward the improvement of Islington as an area, such as The Islington Society, who are focusing on ‘building links between residents and councillors’ – restoring a sense of hope in those who have complaints about the area they live in.

Another amazing resource is from Voluntary Action Islington, who run a Young Islington Inclusion Network to help those from under-represented groups have more of a voice in the community.

However, it is clear that the increase in tensions and low-level crime in the neighbourhood is linked in part at least to the council failing to meet the needs of local people at a time when the cost of living crisis is hitting many of them hard, while cuts in youth facilities and amenities fuel a rise in anti-social behaviour.

Featured photo by halfbeak from flickr.