principles for a human city - Kings Cross, London · principles for a human city Edition History...

principles for ahuman city

A document prepared by Argent St George, the selecteddeveloper for King’s Cross Central, and the landowners,London and Continental Railways and Exel

July 2001Edition 3

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Edition History

Edition 1 Prepared by Argent St George for discussion with the landowners, LCRand Exel. Comments incorporated into Edition 2.

Edition 2 Discussed informally with LB Camden, English Heritage, theCommission for Architecture and Built Environment (CABE), the King’sCross Partnership and others. Comments incorporated into Edition 3.

Edition 3 Published for public consultation and to assist ongoing discussions.Forewords by LB Camden and English Heritage incorporated.


Contents

Foreword

Introduction

The challenge and opportunity

Our ten principlesA robust urban framework

A lasting new place

Promote accessibility

A vibrant mix of uses

Harness the value of heritage

Work for King’s Cross, work for London

Commit to long-term success

Engage and inspire

Secure delivery

Communicate clearly and openly

Key facts

Appendix A1997 Emerging Principles

Appendix BArgent St George, LCR and Exel

Appendix CTarget Planning Programme

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Regenerating King’s Cross is a Camden priority. We haveworked hard to achieve certainty about the new transportinfrastructure, and to encourage the subsequent developmentof the area around and north of the two fine stations. The his-toric buildings and the Regent’s Canal provide some greatopportunities.

Local communities continue to benefit from the King’s CrossPartnership’s regeneration programme, but there is still agreat deal for all of us to do in making sure that new develop-ment meets the challenge of being relevant to and integratingwith the wider area, at every stage.

Camden Council, together with our strategic partners, hassigned up to a Community Strategy ”Our Camden, OurFuture”. Its vision, reflecting wide consultation, is of reducedinequalities in Camden’s population, of strong communities andexcellent services.

I am very pleased that Argent St George’s principles arecompatible with this vision.

There will be healthy and inclusive discussion of a genuinelymixed use, sustainable development, reflecting both London-wide and local dimensions. We will feed in ideas and solutionsto ensure that London’s “new quarter” is accessible to localpeople and businesses in as many ways as possible, particularlythrough employment and training.

I welcome the 'Principles for a Human City' for their definitionof the qualities that Argent and St George are determined toachieve in the King’s Cross Central development. Many of thechallenges will be shared, and the 'Principles' take us all a stepfurther.

Councillor Jane RobertsLeader of Camden Council

King’s Cross is a unique area, of national importance, which isremarkable for the degree of survival of its Victorian town-scape. It was specifically chosen as the venue for the launch ofPower of Place in February 2001 to underline the messagethat the historic built environment is a key catalyst in urbanregeneration. We are delighted that, after many years, thearea is poised to become the focus of a major renewal project,and we look forward to working closely with Argent St Georgeand the other stakeholders in the King’s Cross Central project.We are convinced that the conservation-led regeneration ofKing’s Cross is the route to successful and sustainable urbanrenewal that both recognises the area’s unique qualities andbuilds around the values that people place on their historicenvironment.

Philip DaviesDirector, London RegionEnglish Heritage

Foreword




The last few months have seen majorprogress on the Channel Tunnel RailLink (CTRL) project, Britain’s firsthigh-speed railway, and the associatedregeneration of King’s Cross.

In April 2001, London and ContinentalRailways (LCR), the Government andRailtrack signed an agreement confirm-ing the financing arrangements forSection 2 of the CTRL, which will takethe new high-speed line from NorthKent into a new international station atLondon St Pancras. Contracts worthover £900 million have now been placedto deliver Section 2 and the major engi-neering work began this month (July2001). LCR remain firmly on course tocomplete Section 2 by 2007.

Meanwhile, Section 1 of CTRL is underconstruction and already some two-thirds complete.

This is good news for King’s Cross. Itmeans that we can now begin to planthe redevelopment of land at King’sCross Central (formerly referred to asthe King’s Cross ‘railway lands’), withcertainty and confidence.

This document has been prepared by theselected developer for King’s CrossCentral, Argent St George, in associa-tion with the landowners, LCR and Exel(see Appendix A).

‘Principles for a Human City’ responds,and gives further definition to, the‘emerging principles’ for the futureregeneration of King’s Cross, publishedjointly by LCR, the London Borough ofCamden and the King’s CrossPartnership in November 1997 (seeAppendix B).

Our objective for King’s Cross Central isto devise and then deliver, over the next15 or so years, an exciting and success-ful mixed use development; one that willshape a dense, vibrant and distinctiveurban quarter, bring local benefits andmake a lasting contribution to London.

We would like others to comment onour approach, and our suggested princi-ples for a ‘human city’. This documenthas been prepared for public consulta-tion and to inform our discussions witha range of organisations, includingother landowners, the London Boroughsof Camden and Islington, EnglishHeritage, the Commission forArchitecture and the Built Environment(CABE), the Greater London Authority(GLA), the Kings Cross Partnership,King’s Cross Community DevelopmentTrust, the Camden Central SRB Boardand Community Umbrella, local resi-dents, businesses and others.

Our aim is to build a consensus aboutthe principles, a shared set of aspira-

tions for King’s Cross, before we beginto prepare detailed proposals. This doc-ument is an important part of thatprocess. It is also intended as a positivecontribution towards the LondonBorough of Camden’s review of itsUnitary Development Plan (UDP), inparticular Chapter 13, which sets outplanning policies for the King’s CrossOpportunity Area.

Introduction



King’s Cross presents

one of the most

exciting and significant

development

and regeneration

opportunities within

London, the UK and

Europe


The challenge and opportunity

King’s Cross presents one of the mostexciting and significant developmentand regeneration opportunities withinLondon, the UK and Europe.

London is a world city. The arrival ofthe Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL)terminus at St Pancras and the associ-ated infrastructure investment, forexample London Underground improve-ments and new Thameslink services, willmake King’s Cross the most accessiblelocation within this world city, a majorgateway and place of arrival. These arepowerful catalysts for change, forinward investment and economic devel-opment.

King’s Cross therefore has an importantrole to play, within London as a worldcity. The challenge and opportunity nowis to fashion a dense, vibrant urbanquarter, a place with distinctive identityand which:

» accommodates world city functionsand contributes to local needs;

» blends and balances these functionssuccessfully; and

» assimilates the very significant newelements of transport provisionwhich are about to be introduced.The extension and refurbishment ofSt Pancras Station will transform itinto London’s principal rail inter-change for international travellers,

with a ‘footprint’ more than twicethe size of the existing station. Morethan 63 million passengers per yearare expected to pass through thecombined Kings Cross/St Pancrasinterchange by 2022.

The right response lies in high quality,imaginative proposals that are finan-cially viable, adaptable and deliverable,in a range of market conditions. By thestart of the next decade, King’s Crossshould offer an urban exemplar for asustainable world city. It should be anoutstanding place to live, work or just‘be’. It should make a significant, posi-tive contribution to:

» the economy. London is the ‘engineroom’ of the regional and nationaleconomy. King’s Cross has a majorpart to play in facilitating economicdevelopment and contributing to thecapital’s continued economic growth;

» equality. Regeneration of King’sCross must deliver benefits to exist-ing local communities. Developmentwill help to improve local opportuni-ties for jobs, training and housingand facilitate better access tohealthcare, education and otherservices; and

» the environment. Redevelopment ofthe King’s Cross lands presentsopportunities to enhance greatly thequality of the townscape and public

realm, and to adopt widersustainability principles, for examplein terms of energy efficiency, the useof water and the recycling ofmaterials.

These are the three strands of sustain-able development. Each supports andreinforces the others. Together they sumup many of our principles for a success-ful ‘human city’ at King’s Cross.



Cities are about people


Our ten principles are as follows:

» A robust urban framework

» A lasting new place

» Promote accessibility

» A vibrant mix of uses

» Harness the value of heritage

» Work for King’s Cross, work forLondon

» Commit to long-term success

» Engage and inspire

» Secure delivery

» Communicate clearly and openly

These ten principles codify and amplifyour development objective for King’sCross. They reflect what we have learntso far about the site, its history, chal-lenges and opportunities, the surround-ing neighbourhoods and the communi-ties that live and work within them.They also reflect an understanding ofurban history and urban precedents, inUK and elsewhere.

Cities are about people. The title‘Principles for a Human City’ signalsour intent to create a lasting new placefor people, one that can continue to sup-port successfully their changing patternsof social and economic behaviour.Consequently, we aim to incorporatewhat history teaches us about unchang-

ing human aspirations for the built envi-ronment - for example human scale,variety and choice, a sense of place andbelonging, the chance of delight andsurprise - and use these as drivers forcontemporary urban design.

Our principles therefore reflect anunderlying ‘humanist’ philosophy orapproach. To us, creating the conditionsto improve and enhance urban life is thekey to achieving long-term value. Itfeels right. It is an approach which bothheralds and coincides with, the urbanrenaissance of our towns and cities.

It is by adopting these principles thatwe intend to fulfil the commercialimperative to optimise the economicvalue of the land and the King’s Crossredevelopment. This, in turn, will pro-vide the means to optimise communitybenefits and our contribution to meetinglocal needs.

Our ten principles



A robust urban framework

A lasting new place






Engage and inspire

Secure delivery


Ultimately, the urban framework of routes and

spaces is as important as the buildings and land

uses which it serves


Cities exist to enable human contactand interaction, in particular businessand trade.

Within cities, the most successful placesare those with a physical framework - astructure and sequence of streets,squares, parks, plazas and gardens -that has enabled urban life to continueto prosper in changing circumstances.The attractiveness and quality of theseconnections and spaces generate eco-nomic, as well as environmental value,because they influence and define thespatial pattern of human life, the placeswhere people most want to be.

There are many examples of this inLondon. Parts of the West End, Soho,Marylebone, Clerkenwell and other Cityfringe areas, for example, continue tobenefit from a robust and coherenturban framework. These places havebeen able to adapt over time andremain desirable places to live andwork. Many are also destinations intheir own right. They have a rhythm ofuse that reflects the working day,evenings, holidays, the changing seasonsand our weather.

Establishing the right connections andspaces within the King’s Cross redevel-opment - and the right linkages to thesurrounding city - will therefore beessential to knit King’s Cross into

London and create a successful, lastingnew place.

Connections and spaces will provide thebasic layout upon which other essentialaspects of form and use will depend.These other aspects include:

» the size, scale and density of the‘urban block’, the generic arrange-ment of buildings and land uses,between the streets, squares andother defining spaces. To be success-ful, the development must offerbuildings and opportunities that areattractive to a wide range of poten-tial owners, tenants and occupiers;

» the ‘grain’ of the resulting built envi-ronment, the composition of solidand void. The King’s Cross Centralproposals should respond intelligent-ly to the existing grain of surround-ing areas. They should also respondto, and accommodate, the moremonumental scale of the CTRLdevelopment and related stationworks; and

» permeability and legibility. We mustmake a place that is easy to under-stand and navigate, for pedestriansand other users. It must be safe,interesting and enjoyable.

The framework of connections andspaces is central to these urban designprinciples. It will underpin the prepara-

tion of a spatial masterplan for King’sCross Central, one that addresses thedevelopment site as a whole, the effec-tive integration of its parts and its rela-tionship with neighbouring areas.

Ultimately, the urban framework ofroutes and spaces is as important as thebuildings and land uses which it serves.It is this framework which will shapethe overall ‘sense of place’ at King’sCross and provide the conditions tooptimise economic value - not just inyear 1, but many decades later.





A lasting new place






Engage and inspire

Secure delivery


Successful spatial masterplans are long-lasting

because they acknowledge and accommodate

change


A lasting new place

Successful spatial masterplans are long-lasting because they acknowledge andaccommodate change, within this coher-ent framework.

Our masterplan will need to be adapt-able at every level. Redevelopment maytake 15 years. In that time, our econo-my will experience at least one full eco-nomic cycle. Social and technologicalconditions are also certain to change.

To respond effectively, the masterplanshould provide options to phase develop-ment in different ways and/or adjust thebalance of land uses over time, accord-ing to market demand and other fac-tors. It should promote and accommo-date diversity. It should allow individualbuildings (and uses) to come and go.

This means an adaptable ‘urban block’,of a certain, manageable size and scale.

The design of individual buildingsshould also accommodate change overtime, so as to maintain their economic,cultural and environmental value.

We cannot be prescriptive, therefore,about each and every building and landuse within the new development, theirlocations, forms or architectural styles.

However, this does not lessen our com-mitment to the highest standards ofboth design and build quality.

The planning framework will need toreflect these requirements. This presentsa challenge. The planning system seekscertainty about what a proposed devel-opment will comprise, and how it willlook in built form.

We need to balance and reconcile thesecompeting interests. This might be donethrough ‘fixing’ various aspects of thedevelopment and defining parametersfor others, for example:

» setting a framework of key routesand spaces;

» specifying upper/lower floorspacelimits for each use;

» defining minimum/maximum build-ing heights in various areas andzones, to establish density and scale;

» identifying existing features to beretained and areas to be keptopen/free from built development, asappropriate; and

» establishing design guidelines, togovern matters such as buildingtechniques, materials and how theyare used.

Fundamentally, all of our ‘principles fora human city’, in particular thosediscussed above, reflect and reinforce aconviction that this development mustbe high quality, high density and mixeduse.

High density does not automaticallyequate to ‘high rise’. King’s Cross lieswithin two strategic views of St Pauls,from Kenwood House and ParliamentHill. Currently, these strategic viewsimpose some height restrictions. Theywould not, however, prevent the achieve-ment of high density development. Thiscould be achieved with buildings of upto 12 storeys, with a traditional urbangrain, across the majority of the site.

In areas outside the strategic view cor-ridors, there may be opportunities todevelop taller buildings. We will beexploring these opportunities as part ofthe masterplanning process. We willconsider issues of viability, and whethertaller buildings might contribute in apositive way to the quality and legibilityof the resulting built environment.




A lasting new place






Engage and inspire

Secure delivery


Places should connect

with each other, both

physically and visually,

and be easy to navigate


Promoting accessibility and local per-meability is fundamental to the ‘humancity’. It means:

» making the most of the opportunitiesand advantages afforded by theCTRL and new, co-ordinated inter-change facilities;

» recognising that there are currentlylimited physical links andconnections between the King’sCross site and surrounding areas. Itwill be essential to address thismajor challenge as part of themasterplan proposals;

» access to an integrated transportsystem which provides genuinechoice;

» putting people before traffic, with anemphasis on walking, cycling andpublic transport;

» a clear definition of public andprivate areas;

» the right structure and sequence ofspaces. Places should connect witheach other, both physically andvisually, and be easy to navigate. AtKing’s Cross, one of the challengesis to make an effective link betweenthe place of arrival, the stations, andthe land to the north of the canal.East-west links will also beimportant;

» a place which is safe, welcoming andinclusive; and

» meeting the needs of all groups insociety, including disabled people,the young and the old.

Good accessibility will add economicand social value and help make a realplace, well integrated with surroundingneighbourhoods and communities.





A lasting new place






Engage and inspire

Secure delivery


The development

should have a vibrant

mix of uses. This will

help to create a place

for people which is

varied, enjoyable and

generate lasting

economic value.


The development should have a vibrantmix of uses. This will help to create aplace for people which is varied, enjoy-able and attractive. It will animate keypublic spaces. It will also generate last-ing economic value and avoid dependen-cy on particular sectors.

The mix should reflect and capitaliseupon the site’s proximity to a world-class international transport inter-change. At the same time, the mixshould be well-balanced and contributeto local needs.

These objectives will guide the evolutionof a spatial masterplan for King’sCross. This masterplan is likely toinclude:

» a significant proportion of officesand other workplaces;

» a significant proportion ofhousing/living accommodation;

» a significant proportion of associat-ed retail, leisure and communityuses.

King’s Cross Central is large enough toaccommodate, support and benefit fromthis mix of uses. Different public andprivate uses can benefit from eachother, such that “the whole” is greater

than the sum of its parts. The result willbe a place where people want to live,work and play.

The development will doubtless includea range of both private and ‘affordable’housing, of different types and differenttenures. For example, we would like tosee the needs of essential workersaddressed as part of the affordablehousing provision, i.e. housing for work-ers in essential services such as health,transport and education. We arealready members of the ‘Keep LondonWorking’ partnership project which,with the help of Single RegenerationBudget (SRB) funding, is currentlyexamining ways of delivering such hous-ing in London.

Ultimately, if King’s Cross is to becomean exemplar for London as a sustain-able world city, we must provide a widevariety of homes. This is part of makinga place and part of making optimumuse of land. It is also a prerequisite forknitting the new development into cen-tral London and its dynamic, growingeconomy.

Financial, technology, media and healthservices now drive this dynamism andgrowth. We aim, therefore, to make

King’s Cross an excellent location forUK and international companies seekingto own or lease high quality, modernoffices. Other types of space and tenurewill be more suited and more accessibleto local firms, which should be accom-modated. We are keen to facilitate andencourage entrepreneurial activity, togenerate buzz and excitement.





A lasting new place






Engage and inspire

Secure delivery


Heritage can

contribute

significantly to the

sense of place

necessary to generate

economic, social and

environmental valuePh

oto

fro

m C

amd

en L

oca

l Stu

die

s an

d A

rch

ives

Cen

tre


Heritage can contribute significantly tothe sense of place necessary to generateeconomic, social and environmentalvalue. Places matter to people. For thisreason:

“The heritage environment…providesboth a model and a firm base forregeneration”

(Power of Place, English Heritage, 2000)

King’s Cross has a powerful heritage ofgreat historical significance. Its originaldevelopment was an incredibly vigorousmanifestation of Victorian society andits economic activity. Today, this humanvigour and activity is reflected in thehistoric buildings, structures and sur-faces that remain at King’s Cross andits urban form.

It is also reflected in the presence ofnatural heritage resources such as theRegent’s Canal and Camley StreetNatural Park. The canal was conceivedand constructed as a transport systemto generate commerce and economicvalue. The adjacent Park was onceoccupied by coal drops, serving the rail-ways, reached by a siding across thecanal.

We live in similarly vigorous times. Butwe also live in more sensitive times.

Both the canal and natural park will beretained and respected. We aim to capi-talise upon their positive contribution toKing’s Cross.

Overall, the spatial masterplan willbuild on the sense of place afforded bythe historic environment, to create anew quarter for London. It will reflect,and benefit from, a proper assessmentof the historic buildings, structures,surfaces and wider conservation areas.We will need to evaluate andunderstand their character, value andsignificance, together with the potentialfor their integration within thedevelopment proposals.

Many historic buildings, structures andsurfaces are capable of being re-used inexciting new ways that will generatenew life. Others, however, because oftheir nature, condition or location, maynot have the same potential. There maybe strong, valid reasons why we shouldconsider their removal. In thesecircumstances, we must balance theneed to conserve the historicenvironment with the economic, socialand environmental benefits ofdevelopment and regeneration.

Furthermore, good new design can bothcomplement and enhance the historicenvironment - and create a rich historicenvironment for the future:

“…keeping the best from the pastprovides a powerful justification forgracing our surroundings with the verybest of the new. Good new building,high quality design, thoughtful planning,intelligent land use, are desirableobjectives in their own right. Withproper understanding of the historicenvironment, clarity of purpose andsensitivity to the quality of place,excellent new building and design willboth complement and enhance thehistoric environment”

(Power of Place, 2000)

We look forward to working closelywith the London Boroughs of Camdenand Islington, English Heritage, theCommission for Architecture and theBuilt Environment (CABE) and otherorganisations, to ensure that the bene-fits of both old and new are fullyrespected and integrated into the spatialmasterplan.





A lasting new place






Engage and inspire

Secure delivery


The greatest

destinations are

products of their

place, shaped by their

local culture whilst

addressing a world-

wide audience


We have highlighted the opportunitiesand advantages that will come withdelivery of the CTRL and the importantrole that King’s Cross has to play withinEurope’s economic structure andLondon as a world city. This meansattracting and accommodating worldcity functions, including offices andother workplaces, to capture nationaland global commerce.

At the same time, we should use theseopportunities and advantages to helptackle local issues and concerns. It isimportant that regeneration shouldbring a range of benefits to local com-munities, including:

» An accessible, high quality urbanenvironment;

» local opportunities for jobs, trainingand housing; and

» improved access to healthcare, edu-cation and other services.

This is not altruism. There can be syner-gies between accommodating world cityfunctions and addressing local needs.Those companies that choose to be atKing’s Cross should benefit from thepresence of a well-educated local work-force with the right training and skills.They should also benefit from the pres-ence of local firms providing comple-mentary business services. A strong,thriving local economy can underpin

and reinforce economic values and helpdeliver wider physical and environmen-tal improvements. Improved communitysafety benefits everyone, including theemployees and visitors of internationalcompanies.

Ultimately, the greatest destinations areproducts of their place, shaped by theirlocal culture whilst addressing a world-wide audience. People should have asense of ownership and be proud of theway this ‘global’ location influencestheir local place.

This means that the layout and designof homes, workplaces, leisure, commu-nity and other buildings should meethuman needs and aspirations in thisinformation age. We need to researchthese needs and aspirations and providebuildings that fulfil them.

It also means that economic develop-ment should seek to respect local valuesand provide opportunities for existingcommunities to fulfil aspirations forpositive change. This is all part of ahuman city.

Work for King’s Cross,work for London




A lasting new place






Engage and inspire

Secure delivery


Sustaining the right blend of uses and activities

requires ongoing, high quality stewardship of the

buildings and spaces, with an understanding of

how each part influences the whole


We are committed to the long-term suc-cess of King’s Cross, to the delivery of aviable and vibrant mixed-use urbanquarter that is attractive to residents,businesses and visitors alike. Steward-ship is central to this. It cannot be sep-arated from design. Sustaining the rightblend of uses and activities requiresongoing, high quality stewardship of thebuildings and spaces, with an under-standing of how each part influences thewhole.

For example, stewardship may meantaking a “measured risk” on somefledgling businesses and occupiers, incertain locations, in order to maintainvitality and a sense of identity. Equally,it may mean stepping in and takingaction when particular land uses,activities or businesses create orexperience problems.

Stewardship is also about makingKing’s Cross safe, attractive and friend-ly. As part of this, we would like to see:

» enforcement of low traffic speeds(below 20 mph);

» well lit streets and spaces; and

» areas and places that are livelythroughout the day and/or evening,with a varied sense of rhythm.

Ultimately, effective stewardship is partand parcel of creating and maintainingeconomic value.

In that context, the legal agreementbetween Argent St George, LCR andExel is both innovative and exciting. Itestablishes a joint venture between thedevelopers and landowners and encour-ages all parties to look to the long-term, as owners and investors.Specifically, the agreement will enableus to establish, jointly, a collective own-ership structure for the development asit progresses. This means that:

» there is a structure to finance eachphase of the development against thevalue of the land and any completedparts. Providing the scheme deliverssufficient economic value, thereshould be no necessity to sell off thefirst buildings and development proj-ects, to the highest bidder, to financesubsequent phases or provide short-term returns;

» instead, the ongoing developmentcan be owned - and managed - as awhole, with the companies involvedtaking a direct and active role in thefuture of King’s Cross;

» it should be easier to develop mixed-use buildings and to make availableimaginative ‘non institutional’ occu-pation agreements for some compa-nies and uses;

» we can explore the optimum provi-sion of district services, such asheat, power, water, waste collectionand recycling, telecommunicationsand IT;

» we will have further incentive to playan active role in supporting local ini-tiatives on jobs, training, housing,education and community safety,because these will add value in thelong-term; and

» we can instil an emphasis on quality,in design, construction, environmen-tal management and long-term oper-ation - and it will be in our intereststo do so.

In short, we intend to be there frombeginning to end.





A lasting new place






Engage and inspire

Secure delivery


We will place particular emphasis on engaging

actively with children and young people. They

will live with - and hopefully benefit from - the

redevelopment over the next 10 to 20 years.

They may live and/or work there.


“When people feel they ‘belong’ to aneighbourhood which is theirs throughtheir own efforts, then it will become aplace…worth struggling to retain anddevelop. People will safeguard whatthey have helped to create”

Lord Scarman 1991

Argent St George has begun talkingwith and listening to a range of differ-ent organisations and a diverse set ofcommunities. We are particularly keento engage and inspire, and be inspiredby, those people that live and work inthe nine local wards.

We aim to provide people with informa-tion about the project and to allow themto participate effectively in the process.For our part, we stand to benefit frompeople’s knowledge, ideas and support.Ultimately, we hope to build a consen-sus about first, the principles behind,and then, the form of our proposals forKing’s Cross.

We will place particular emphasis onengaging actively with children andyoung people. They will live with - andhopefully benefit from - the redevelop-ment over the next 10 to 20 years. Theymay live and/or work there.

The nine local wards are currentlyamongst the most disadvantaged inLondon and the UK. We want,therefore, to work with established

organisations, agencies and groups tohelp plan, manage and distribute someof the benefits that will accrue from acommercially viable developmentscheme so as to:

» develop appropriate training, educa-tion and employment strategies;

» integrate the new development intosurrounding neighbourhoods andcommunities; and

» help meet local needs.

Of course, everyone is keen to secure‘quick wins’. We understand this, but itmust be clear that any strategy fordelivering community benefits must beunderpinned by the realisation of devel-opment value.

We could achieve our aims by helpingto form or support a Development Trustor similar partnership mechanism ororganisation. This trust/organisationcould also provide a way of enablinglong-term community participation.

We need to explore these ideas with thetwo London Boroughs, the King’s CrossPartnership and others.

We are also conscious that the regener-ation of King’s Cross is of London-wideimportance. We need to hear the viewsof other Londoners, beyond the immedi-ate local area.

Engage and inspire




A lasting new place






Engage and inspire

Secure delivery


Our early development

projects will be

ambassadors for those

that follow


We are very keen to ‘get on’ with King’sCross. At the same time, we areabsolutely committed to getting it right.

We would like to be in a position tosubmit a planning application next year.Our target planning programme toachieve this is summarised at AppendixC. Over the next few months, we will beworking with the local planning authori-ties to review the existing UnitaryDevelopment Plan (UDP) policies andexisting supplementary planning guid-ance for the King’s Cross site. We willalso be carrying out the research neces-sary to consider development optionsand undertake an EnvironmentalImpact Assessment (EIA).

Those people that have been waiting along time for redevelopment and wantchange must also be patient. King’sCross Central will be a very long-termproject, stretching well into the nextdecade.

For this reason, phasing will be veryimportant. Our early development proj-ects will be ambassadors for those thatfollow and each phase should mark realprogress towards the successful achieve-ment of our objective - the delivery of amajor mixed-use development that willshape a dense, vibrant and distinctiveurban quarter, bring local benefits andmake a lasting contribution to London.

Argent St George, Exel and LCR willalso work closely together, and withother parties, to understand and man-age the relationship between this projectand CTRL. As explained in theIntroduction, CTRL will come first.Work on Section 2, to bring the newline through east London into StPancras, will start this month (July2001). These works are due to be com-plete by 2007.

On this basis, initial development mightbegin in 2006, subject to the planningprocess.

Secure delivery




A lasting new place






Engage and inspire

Secure delivery


We will create a clear,

step-by-step process for

this communication and

engagement


The way that Argent St George commu-nicates and engages with the many dif-ferent organisations and individuals thatcare passionately about the future ofKing’s Cross will be important.

We will create a clear, step-by-stepprocess for this communication andengagement. This document is the firststep and Argent St George welcomescomments on its content.

The mix of different forms of communi-cation will be broad, so that Argent StGeorge can reach the very diverse com-munities with an interest in its propos-als.

Argent St George will be clear about itsposition at all times, even if the answerto a particular question is “we don’tknow - yet”. We will be equally clearabout what decisions we have alreadymade. When we ask people for theirviews, their comments and responseswill be relevant and make a difference.

We aim to be accessible throughout. Weare employing a large team of specialistprofessionals to help us prepare ourproposals. However, we do not intend tohide behind them! Some of you havealready met or seen us. You will do soagain. We aim to meet a lot more peo-ple in the coming weeks, months andyears.

You can send us your comments on thisdocument, get in touch with us and/orfind out more, in the following ways:

AddressArgent St George 5 Albany CourtyardPiccadillyLondon W1J 0HF

ContactRoger MadelinRobert EvansAndré GibbsDebbie Aplin

Tel 020 7734 3721 Fax 020 7734 4474

Web Siteswww.argentstgeorge.co.ukwww.argentgroup.plc.ukwww.stgeorgeplc.com

[email protected]





There are many people who know King’sCross, and its history, far better than wedo. Nevertheless, it may be useful toreiterate some ‘key facts’:

» the majority of the land at KingsCross Central (formerly referred toas the railway lands) is controlled byLondon and Continental Railways(LCR) and Exel;

» In 1989 the London RegenerationConsortium (LRC) submitted propos-als to develop the railway lands. TheLondon Borough of Camden was“minded to grant” planning propos-als for these proposals in 1994,however the proposals were subse-quently withdrawn;

» The LRC proposals addressed over100 acres of land, on the assump-tion that the CTRL would come intoKing’s Cross station, underground;

» The London terminus of the CTRLwill now be above ground, at a rede-veloped St Pancras station.Consequently, the area of railwayland which will become available forredevelopment is now much smaller,at approximately 53 acres;

» In the short and medium term, themajority of this land will be used forCTRL construction purposes;

» The CTRL is being constructed intwo phased sections. Section 1 runsfrom the Channel Tunnel to

Fawkham Junction in north Kentand is on schedule for completion in2003. It will significantly reduce theexisting journey time from WaterlooInternational station to the ChannelTunnel. Section 2 will extend thehigh-speed line into a new interna-tional terminus at London StPancras. It also includes new sta-tions at Stratford, east London andKent Thameside, north Kent.Engineering work on Section 2 com-mences in July 2001 and will con-tinue until 2007;

» Early last year (2000), LCR andExel selected Argent St George tobe the developer for King’s CrossCentral, after an extensive selectionprocess;

» The majority of the 53 acres fallswithin two Conservation Areas.There are a number of buildings andstructures of heritage value, some ofwhich are “listed”;

» King’s Cross is already served by 6Underground lines - the Northern,Piccadilly, Victoria, Circle,Metropolitan and Hammersmith andCity - as well as by Thameslink andother mainline rail services. Post-CTRL, it will also be served byEurostar, high speed links to Kentand improved Thameslink services.These services, and the ability toaccess each of the four main airports

in the South East (Heathrow,Gatwick, Stansted and Luton), willmake King’s Cross the most accessi-ble transport interchange in London;

» There are CTRL-related works to theLondon Underground system, in par-ticular works to construct a newnorthern ticket hall. Works to con-struct a new western ticket hall arecurrently underway;

» Railtrack is formulating plans toredevelop King’s Cross Station, toenhance its capacity and allowfuture Train Operating Companies torun more services. It also aims torelocate the ticket hall and otherfunctions from the ‘temporary’structure fronting the Euston Road.

» In April 1996 the King’s CrossPartnership was formed. It acts asthe framework for a £37.5 million,7-year regeneration programmeunder the Government’s SingleRegeneration Budget (SRB) initia-tive. The SRB area (broadly) coversa two-mile radius around King’sCross Station. The Partnershipbrings together a range of privatesector interests, local communityrepresentatives and the public sector,in particular the two local authori-ties for the area, the LB Camdenand LB Islington.

Key facts




Argent St George is a joint venturebetween two developers, Argent Groupplc and St George plc.

Argent Group plc is one of the mostsuccessful commercial office and mixed-use developers of the 1990s. Argent iswholly owned by the British TelecomPension Scheme and is perhaps bestknown for its Brindleyplace develop-ment in central Birmingham. Builtaround two new public squares,Brindleyplace is generally regarded asan outstanding example of sustainable,mixed-use urban regeneration.

Brindleyplace has recently won praisefrom the Commission for Architectureand the Built Environment (CABE), inits publication ‘The Value of UrbanDesign’; it also features in the UrbanWhite Paper ‘Our towns and cities: thefuture, delivering an urban renaissance’.

Argent is also active in London,Reading/the Thames Valley andManchester.

St George plc is London’s leading resi-dential and mixed use developer andpart of the Berkeley Group plc. StGeorge operates exclusively within theLondon area and current schemesinclude St George’s Wharf at Vauxhall

Bridge, Riverside West in Wandsworthand Imperial Wharf in Hammersmithand Fulham.

St George has a reputation for highquality design and innovation in allaspects of the residential market, andhas formed successful partnerships withlocal authorities, housing associationsand universities to deliver a variety ofaffordable housing and student accom-modation. St George has won numerousawards for its developments and corpo-rate practice from the Civic Trust, theRoyal Institute for British Architects(RIBA) and others.

St George is the proud recipient of twoBuilding Awards 2001 - the inauguralSustainability Award and Housebuilderof the Year.

London and Continental Railways(LCR) is the company responsible for thedesign, construction, operation andfinance of the high-speed ChannelTunnel Rail Link (CTRL) fromFolkestone to St Pancras. London &Continental Stations & Property (LCSP)is the property subsidiary of LCR.

LCSP is responsible for the assembly ofland required for the construction of theCTRL and controls land at King’s Cross

through agreements with the Secretaryof State for Transport, LocalGovernment and the Regions. LCSPmanages all of LCR’s property assets,including St Pancras Station, and, withits partners, is taking forward theregeneration of the surplus sites aroundthe new CTRL stations.

Exel plc, formerly NFC plc, is a world-class provider of supply chain solutions,encompassing logistics, warehousingand distribution, Just in Time, managedtransportation, call centre and homedelivery services.

Exel own property to both the north andsouth of the Regent’s Canal, including avariety of industrial buildings and agoods yard. The main goods yard build-ings are used for parcels/print storageand distribution points for major com-panies. Other current uses of Exel’sland at King’s Cross include office sup-ply stocking, media businesses, breweryuses and leisure activities.

Appendix A

Argent St George, LCR and Exel


In November 1997 London andContinental Railways (LCR), the LondonBorough of Camden and the King’sCross Partnership published some‘Emerging Principles’ for the futureregeneration of King’s Cross. Theseprinciples were intended to:

» stimulate thought about what couldbe possible for the former railwaylands, to the north of St Pancrasand King’s Cross stations, and theimmediate surrounding area;

» stretch people’s imagination aboutwhat would be worthy and appropri-ate for this unique regenerationopportunity;

» help evaluate opportunities to deliver‘early wins’; and

» guide development.

The text of the ‘Emerging Principles’ isreproduced below.

StationsCatalysts for change

• St Pancras

• King’s Cross

• London Underground

• Thameslink 2000

Context

• Partnership approach

• Viable commercially

• Integrated site approach

Aims

• Reflect international, national andregional importance

• Optimise community benefit

• Local employment

• Best practice in environmentalquality

• Good urban design

• Enhance links

• Use unique accessibility

Sustainability

• Encourage energy efficiency

• Encourage recycling of materials

• Dynamic use of heritage buildings

• New forms of transport

• Encourage use of public transport

• Maintenance and renewal

• Co-ordination of infrastructureprovision

• Local Agenda 21

Accessibility

• East-West links across the site

• Strong North-South visual andphysical link

• ‘Heritage trail’

• Co-ordinated interchange

• Community safety principles

Design quality

• Human scale

• Safe

Appendix B

1997 Emerging Principles


• Comfortable and enjoyable

• Use of what we have

• Finding productive uses

• Bringing jobs and activity

• Good new contemporary buildings

• Creating heritage for the future

• Strong sight lines

A sense of place

• Lively and urban

• Heart of a world city

• A destination

• Mix of uses including commercial,residential and leisure

• People attractor

• Year round destination for allinterests

• Wide range or mix of possibilities

• Maximise benefit of the canal

• Bringing water into any scheme

• A unique asset

A place to work

• Attempt to retain industrial uses

• Optimise employment opportunities

Early wins

• Start the process

• Demonstrate capacity for change

• Keeping options open

• Bringing St Pancras Chambers backinto use

• Extending and consolidating CamleyStreet Natural Park

• P & O Blocks

• Enhanced streetscape

• Floodlighting major buildings

• NFC Canal offices


Appendix C

Target planning programmePeriod Main Argent St George planning activities

Informal consultations on ‘Principles for a Human City’ Editions 1 and 2

Apr - Jun 01 Contribute to UDP and SPG reviews (plus emerging London Plan)

Technical Analysis of the site, its opportunities and constraints

Consult on ‘Principles for a Human City’ Edition 3, review and update

Jul - Sept 01 Prepare first draft Masterplan and social/economic strategy

Prepare draft scoping report for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Publish and consult on 1st draft proposals and draft scope for the EIA

Oct - Dec 01 Respond to emerging policy i.e. UDP and SPG reviews (plus London Plan)

Review draft proposals, progress EIA and other assessments

Assist/inform any UDP Inquiry

Jan - Mar 02 Firm up the masterplan, social/economic strategy, EIA and other assessments

Fix key parameters that will underpin the proposals, EIA and other assessments

Draft proposed planning agreements

Apr - Jun 02 Review outcome of any UDP Inquiry/Inspector’s report

Finalise and then submit planning application plus supporting documents

New UDP policies adopted?

Post-application discussions and consultation

UDP Unitary Development PlanSPG Supplementary Planning Guidance London Plan Emerging strategic planning guidance for London prepared by the Greater London Authority (GLA)

Jul - Sept 02


The paper and board used in this document contain 75% de-inked, postconsumer waste and the grade is NAPM approved recycled.


tel 020 7734 3721email [email protected]

web www.argentstgeorge.co.uk


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