OPPORTUNITY AREA Kingπs Cross

LP Site Area (ha) 53 (to be tested through SRDF process)
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LP Projected Jobs 11,400 (ditto)

LP Target Homes 1,250 (ditto)

Boroughs Camden/Islington

Strategic Objectives (from the London Plan, Feb 2004)

Excellent public transport accessibility will be further improved with the completion of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), Thameslink 2000 and Cross River Tram. Construction of the CRTL will release 20 hectares of underused land. Its central location and unique public transport accessibility offer particular scope for high-density business development as well as housing. Conference facilities could be appropriate provided they could be integrated satisfactorily with other activities. In such a highly urbanised quarter, environmental quality is crucial. The development framework should draw upon the historic features of the site to create a truly sustainable business and residential community reliant on minimal use of cars.

Key Issues

∑ How to secure balance between the employment, residential and leisure mix.

∑ How to optimise high quality and genuinely affordable housing at high densities.

∑ Consider potential for conference centre/facilities and hotel capacity.

∑ How development in the Opportunity Area and especially Kings Cross Railway Lands can contribute to the wider regeneration of the area. Need to consider the relationship and integration with surrounding communities and regeneration sites.

∑ How to secure improvement to the environment, heritage assets, and public realm including the canal.

∑ How proposals can promote sustainable development, energy efficiency and potential to enhance the ecology of the area.

∑ Relationship between development demand and public transport capacity.

∑ Implementation of Underground Northern Ticket Hall and Kingπs Cross station Western Concourse (Network Rail) have now received backing from DfT. Scheme requires additional £400m funding to complement existing refurbishments.

∑ Need for transport integration and consider the potential for enhanced bus and tram services to the Opportunity Area.

∑ Ensuring Cross River Tram access to / terminus within the interchange hub.

∑ Penetration of public transport in and through the development site (bus/taxi routes and associated bus stands need to be secured).

∑ How to ensure site permeability and pedestrian movement, blending high pedestrian flows and high quality public realm in the interchange hub; provision of additional bike parking.

∑ How to provide good quality open space linked to the wider network, whilst addressing any deficiencies in public open space and improving access to nature.

∑ Southside of Euston Rd/Pentonville Rd will be a key setting for international terminal and has scope for intensification. Explore scope for integrated environmental enhancement/capacity uplift.

Utility infrastructure Issues

∑ Electricity - Forecast for Kingπs Cross up to 2016 10MW to 23MW of additional demand. Kingπs Cross area is fed from St Pancras A & B substation. The capacity at this substation will not be adequate to meet this load requirement (this is especially so with the load requirement from Euston). One of the options being explored is that of a new primary site at Kingπs Cross. This would depend on the rate of development of the area and load increase. The proposal is to build a 132/11kV substation, equipped with 2 X 60MVA transformers. The 132kV connections to the Kingπs Cross site could be made from either Back Hill grid 132kV or City Road 132kV substation.

∑ Gas – Capacity is generally available but will need to be assessed in detail at the time of definite development proposals.

∑ Water – Local supply infrastructure may need re-enforcement subject to nature of proposals.

∑ Sewage – Study of impact already completed for rail lands by Thames Water. Recommendation includes attenuation of peak flow rates and some localised upsizing to avoid flooding.

∑ Flood Plain/Drainage - Area does not include identified floodplain. Following on site retention/Sustainable Urban Drainage System including option of discharge to canal, remaining surface water can be discharged to combined sewer.

∑ Blue Ribbon Network - Regents Canal flows through area. Development needs to relate well to canal and maximise its use.

Current Status

Joint Planning & Development Brief adopted by Camden and Islington. Brief contains a target of 1,800 homes by 2020. Jobs total also likely to exceed figure in London Plan with indications that this could be in the region of 16,000. Outline planning application submitted for Kingπs Cross in May 2004. Rail operators have confirmed that the Channel Tunnel Rail Link second phase is 75% complete and on course to open in 2007. GLA officers in discussions with Camden on the proposals for the development of Kings Cross Railway Lands. LDA role in the Kings Cross/Finsbury Park priority area now that the Kings Cross Partnership SRB has ended.

Transport Minister has backed London Undergroundπs proposals to build northern ticket hall and a western concourse at Kingπs Cross. TfL and borough collaborating to review issues raised by the planning application.

Indicative Phasing

	2002-2006	2007-2011	2012-2016	Post 2016	Total 2001-2016
Frameworks, planning, development
Projected New Jobs					11,400
New Homes					1,250
Key transport infrastructure
National Rail Improvements
Underground PPP
Bus Capacity increases
CTRL - Phase 2
Thameslink 2000
Cross River Tram
Crossrail 2

Emerging revised capacity estimates (to be completed through SRDF process)

	Floorspace	Jobs/Units
Area
Employment – Office
Employment - Industrial
Employment - Other
Homes
Homes - % affordable

Kings Cross Opportunity Area: Initial Indicative Working Boundary (to be revised through SRDF process)

Map follows
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