Durkan awarded £2.5 million contract in islington to support teenagers

Affordable housing developer Durkan has been awarded a £2.5 million contract by the London Borough of Islington to transform a Grade II listed laundry building in to a world-class performing arts centre for young people in the borough.

Durkan’s project will involve the extensive refurbishment and remodeling of the Victorian gatehouse and laundry buildings at the Hornsey Road Baths to create a multi-purpose and flexible space for performance, a media centre and recording studios, dance studios and rehearsal space as well as a café and other social space.

Situated in Islington, the new centre will act as a ‘Youth Hub’ to ensure that children and young people in the local area are given the best possible opportunities to help them develop important life skills to fulfill their potential. The state-of-the-art facilities will make a real difference to the lives and prospects of young people in the area, raising their ambitions and aspirations, and open up new and exciting opportunities. The centre will also offer information, advise, guidance and support to young people as well as giving them access to training and apprenticeships.

The centre is funded by the government’s ‘MyPlace’ programme who recently recruited 14 Young Advisors, from a variety of organisations to engage in the decision making throughout the process. The advisors represent the views of young people and lead consultation activities with young people, parents and communities. They ensure that the needs of young people are right at the heart of the development.

‘Olive Oli, a Young Advisor on the project commented “It’s important to have centre’s like this because it’s a place young people can come and socialise in a safe environment. The centre will help to develop young people’s skills and confidence and it will be a place where they can get advice.” 

Managing Director of Durkan, Robert Clark, comments: “We are delighted to be working with London Borough of Islington on this exciting new centre in Hornsey. The iconic building has been derelict for almost 20 years and will be transformed to provide young people in the area the opportunity to take part in high quality positive activities in a new world-class performing arts centre.’

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