Look again at use of King’s Cross lands

Published: 22 April, 2010

• PLANNING permission granted by Camden for building on the King’s Cross Railway Lands (aka King’s Cross Central) in March 2006 was in outline only; the scheme was based on the most optimistic outcome.

Four years on, the site has the appearance of semi-abandonment. We are looking at the very real possibility of a King’s Cross wasteland for more years to come instead of the promised, glittering development.

At a recent local meeting the developer, Argent (King’s Cross) Limited, admitted they do not have the money to build the six proposed office blocks between St Pancras and King’s Cross stations and that they won’t build them until they have let them.When the conversion of the Granary Building for the University of the Arts is completed and the student accommodation built, there is very little else in the pipeline.

The students and the residents of the blocks of social housing flats to be built facing on to York Way may find themselves looking at one another across an otherwise deserted site. These two schemes are paid for by taxpayers’ money.

While the developers wait for corporate occupiers and the investors that they attract, problems for local people and commuters from the surrounding areas are compounded by the closure of the remains of Battlebridge Road.

The area was looked on as one of great promise for benefits for this area of London.

It is time to review the future for this area and should include: considering siting the proposed Medical Research Council development on the King’s Cross Central site instead of Brill Place; providing pedestrian and cycle access from York Way to King’s Cross and St Pancras stations; and evaluating the impact of government proposals for the High Speed 2 line from Euston which will involve the demolition of social housing and the loss of open space.

The King’s Cross site ought to made available for serious interim uses. The economic downturn should not be used as an excuse for inaction.

Areas not taken up for specific interim purposes should be grassed over and used for open space and playing fields. Interim uses could include a regular market, spaces for emerging artists,  cradles for other areas of endeavour and a site for central London bank holiday funfairs.  

The outline permission, which was rushed through by the council in March 2006, (six weeks before the ruling group was ejected from power) expires in 2011.

The developer will have to reapply to a new council next year. While this is a danger for the developer it is an opportunity for the residents of Camden, Islington and beyond.

Circumstances have changed dramatically since 2006 and it is possible to devise a more socially useful scheme for the site.

Local residents were correct in campaigning for CTRL to go to St Pancras rather than to King’s Cross.

Local campaigners were correct in their alternative proposals for the Regent Quarter and it is likely that they are correct in asking for a better informed, new council to shape the future of the King’s Cross Railway lands and surrounding area.

Islington residents, who endure most of the worst impacts of the development, may soon be joined by those in Camden.

Argent’s policy is a failure.

There is presently some 15 million square feet (a bit smaller than Canary Wharf) of office space granted permission in or around the City of London and only a small proportion of this is being built.

In addition, further empty space has been created by the contraction in the banking sector, Merrill Lynch etc.
Considering that for the foreseeable future the take-up rate for offices will be low, no developer will be able to build without a tenant and that it takes two to three years to build offices we could be waiting many, many more years before anyone wants to occupy the new buildings planned at King’s Cross.

Meanwhile, take a look at how many thousands of people could enjoy an Argent urban park with, say, a swimming pool/sports centre, an all-weather astrodome stadium/ exhibition centre/ entertainment venue
and more, and the preserved 19th-century Regent’s Canal and railway infrastructure set in acres of parkland.
ERNEST JAMES
King’s Cross Conservation Area Advisory Committee 
Regent’s Canal Conservation Area Advisory Committee
Regent’s Canal Network

Contacts:
Anthony Delarue 020 7700 024107879 222 062 a.delarue@btinternet.com
Del Brenner 020 7267 7105 secretary@regentsnetwork.org