More than 100 people are expected to march on soon-to-be-closed Holloway Prison next Saturday to demand that social housing and community facilities are built on the site.

Campaigners fear the publicly-owned land will be sold to private developers for luxury flats to fund government plans for nine new prisons across the country.

Housing campaigner and Quaker Court estate manager Glyn Robbins said: “The demonstration has been called for two reasons. First, to demand the Holloway Prison site is used to build the council homes Islington needs, not more so-called ‘affordable’ housing that few can afford. It’s public land. It should be used for public housing.

“Second, to continue the magnificent local campaign against the Housing Bill and Planning Bill. If the bill is passed, private developers will be able to make even more money from publicly-owned sites like Holloway Prison, just as they did at Mount Pleasant.

“The bill will do nothing to help the 18,000 households on the waiting list and will make the housing crisis worse.”

Chancellor George Osborne announced the prison would close in his Budget last year.

The 500-capacity women’s prison, the largest in Europe, is close to being empty after 200 women were moved to HMP Downview in Surrey on Tuesday. Women are also being sent to HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey.

Islington Hands off our Public Services, Kill the Housing Bill and the Reclaim Justice Network have organised the demonstration.

Protesters will gather in front of the university buildings just south of Holloway tube station at 11.30am on Saturday, May 14. The march will set off up Holloway Road at noon.

• Keywords
  PRISONS, HOUSING, PROTEST
• Geographical keyword
  HOLLOWAY ROAD
• Persons keyword
  Holloway Prison, Islington Hands Off Our Public Services Campaign Group, Kill the Housing Bill, Reclaim Justice Network