“Dull and uninspiring” - critics say King's Cross square development is a wasted oportunity

PLANS for a bold new public square outside King’s Cross station have been branded “dull and uninspiring” by critics.
 

Sophie Talbot, a community leader in the area, said she feared that the 7,000sqm glass and steel project – bigger than Leicester Square – would be a “wasted opportunity”.
 

Ms Talbot, who is projects manager for the charity King’s Cross Community Projects, spoke out in the final week of consultation over the plan to build the plaza facing the newly refurbished Grade I-listed King’s Cross station at the intersection of York Way, Euston Road and St Pancras Road.
 

Described by planners as “destined to be one of the great public places in London”, the scheme was awarded to architects three years ago following an international design competition. 
 

Planning permission will be sought by Network Rail, who will take over control of the project from Camden Council later this year.
 

Islington Council will also be asked to comment as it is so close to the borough border. The square is due to open in time for the Olympic Games in spring next year.
 

In a fanfare to launch the consultation last month the railway authority dubbed the proposed square “one of the most exciting urban challenges facing London today”. 
 

It added: “Our proposed design will help guide pedestrians through the square and provide a central focus to this area of complex junctions and transport interchanges. 
 

“Solid stone benches, integrated shops and a sympathetic lighting plan have been carefully designed to both complement the area’s rich history and provide a modern, open space in a dense urban environment.”
 

But Ms Talbot said that there had been little attempt to talk to people who live in King’s Cross about what they wanted. She said the scheme would contain only four trees, no shrubbery, and no calming features such as a water garden. 
 

“We thought it would include a memorial garden for both local residents and travellers to sit quietly and remember those who died in the London 7/7 terror attacks and in the King’s Cross fire,” she added. “There were even rumours of a Henry Moore statue.
 

“After all the excitement there doesn’t appear to be a lot to show for it. And they have been working on this for three years.
 

“The square design seems to be mostly concrete and have little in the way of character.”
 

Islington’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Labour councillor Paul Convery, admitted the design was plain and simple – but said that was in its favour. 
 

“My understanding is that it would be extremely difficult to plant more trees because of all the infrastructure, including tunnels and a booking hall beneath the square,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a wasted opportunity because the scheme has some good features. At the same time I’d like to see some public art and a memorial to those who died in the two incidents.”
 

A spokeswoman for Network Rail said: “The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s hard to get across the scale of constraints which the architects are working around.

Apart from the obvious operational needs of keeping 140,000 passengers a day moving through the space, they must integrate the legacy of a number of LUL (London Underground Limited) structures into the design, as they provide ventilation and emergency access to the tube lines.”