A group of squatters who took over a former primary school in Islington have been evicted following a court order. The group of 20 people had set up camp at St Jude and St Paul’s school last month after discovering the campus had been abandoned. The buildings had been empty since the previous summer when Islington Council decided to shut the school due to a lack of pupils.
Squatters’ Activities and Intentions
The squatters, who referred to themselves as “crews,” transformed classrooms into studios and bedrooms. They previously stated that they intended to use the vacant space until a new purpose for the building could be proven, and they planned to open the school for community events in the meantime. They argued they would only leave when the landlords could demonstrate a new use for the property.
Legal Action and Eviction
However, the London Diocesan Board for Schools (LDBS), which owns the former Church of England school, urged the squatters to leave, accusing them of delaying plans to convert the building into a learning facility for adults with special educational needs. An eviction notice was issued, and High Court Enforcement Officers executed a warrant last week, allowing LDBS to regain possession of the building on Kingsbury Road.
Molly Jade Davey, one of the squatters, had earlier explained that the group was “very, very strict with everyone” and that “everyone knows that you do not harm the building.” Despite this, LDBS reported finding thousands of pounds worth of damage upon re-entering the premises, including broken aluminium doors, ceiling tiles, and damage to the underfloor heating.
LDBS Response
A spokesperson for LDBS commented: “Now we have been able to access the site, we have been able to clearly see that the building was broken into when the squatters first arrived. There has been significant, albeit largely cosmetic, damage, and this will take a little time to resolve.” They added: “We would like to thank the Parish and local residents for their support and understanding over recent weeks. While we are wholly sympathetic to the situation of homeless people in London, we also had a responsibility to respond to the significant number of complaints that we had from local residents. We had hoped that a conclusion could be reached without the need for enforcement action, but sadly this was not to be the case. We are now working at pace to ensure that the building can be ready for its next chapter.”
