Success
On 29 September, councillors unanimously rejected our freeholders’ plans to build a hideous extra storey on top of Northview. See Northview News. Many thanks to all of you who supported our campaign.
Why Northview needs local listing
Northview is a distinctive enclave of flats around a courtyard built in 1938 in Holloway, north London. It retains many original features of the 1930s, from its architectural design and layout that maximise natural light through to smaller deco touches that draw on Mayan and Egyptian influences.
Northview’s design acts physically to provide a natural community. While it sits between two main roads in the busy commercial area of Holloway, it still provides a restful oasis, with green areas and mature trees, decades after it was built.
Rare development
While developments like Northview were typical of the 1930s, very few seem to remain.
It also has an unusual place in social history, as several features were designed to tackle common prejudice against living in flats in the 1930s – and to differentiate it from social housing. Original features – including deco banisters with a papyrus motif (left), Crittall windows and chrome pipework – still survive. The logo uses the papyrus motifs from the balusters.
Unusually and possibly uniquely, its two blocks – a small block facing the road and a larger block to the rear – have contrasting yet complementary designs, with original features, such as the banisters, common to each.
Danger with an understated quality
Both English Heritage and SAVE Britain’s Heritage have highlighted the risks that face more modest, low-profile buildings, such as Northview. Both have sent us supportive messages.
As English Heritage says of housing of the time, it “can possess an understated quality that has often been overlooked”. While it is not a well-known or high-profile scheme, Northview is certainly of local architectural and historical interest.
Why Northview deserves local listing
- Survival of original features in the layout and architectural design, internal arrangement of flats and ornamentation
- Group value – the two blocks work with each other and Islington’s exuberant Holloway Odeon across the road, which is exactly the same age, to provide a 1930s corner that is important in architectural and historic terms
- Its features and scale distinguish it from other 1930s homes in Islington
- Rarity – its layout was common in the 1930s but is rare now. It may well be the sole survivor of its type in Islington
- Illustrative of social history
- Recognition as being of architectural value will promote conservation and support economic growth, by increasing awareness of Nag’s Head as a historical area
- Complements neighbouring conservation areas
Conservation area
It is surprising that the whole 1930s corner at the foot of Tufnell Park Road is not included in the conservation area that already contains the Odeon. We believe this is because Northview is tucked away.
A survivor
In the past couple of years, several efforts to that would have wrecked Northview’s community feel and its integrity as an almost-intact 1930s enclave have been seen off. The first, in 2009, was withdrawn. The second was declared invalid. A third was sent back to the applicants for changes. The fourth was unanimously rejected by councillors on 29 September.
Northview also survived the bombs that hit its neighbours, a gas explosion, the collapse of a road above its underground river and ill thought out building proposals when it was just 10 years old. To see Northview's story, go to archive pages It started with a Nissen hut … stop architectural vandalism and New threat to 1930s oasis.
Home: Northview – a rare survivor of its time
Northview’s architecture – an enclave with deco features
A 1930s corner of Holloway – group value
Archive: New threat to 1930s oasis
Archive: It started with a Nissen hut … stop architectural vandalism
Buildings at risk – neglect at Northview
Contact, links, sources and acknowledgements
