KING’S CROSS REDEVELOPMENT TAKES NEXT STEP FORWARD

17 November 2006

The King’s Cross redevelopment takes its next step forward after Camden Council approved the final legal terms that secure a wide range of community benefits, last night (16 November).

The council’s Development Control Committee made the final grant of the necessary planning permissions and consents for the regeneration of the 64 and a half acre King’s Cross brown field site by developer Argent. It approved the full details of the Section 106 Agreement, the document that sets out the legal obligations between the council, developer, landowners and other parties. It paves the way for a redevelopment that includes around 25,000 jobs, 1,700 homes and community, sports and education facilities.

The council originally resolved to grant planning permission on 9 March 2006 and agreed the key points – known as the Heads of Terms – of the Section 106 Agreement. Members also asked to see the full details of the Agreement before the final permissions were issued, and made this decision last night. Councils are not under any legal requirement to consult on the detailed drafting of Section 106 agreements. However, in the lead up to last night’s meeting, to keep the local community involved and informed the council made drafts of the document available and discussed it with the King’s Cross Development Forum – the local body with representatives from community groups, residents and businesses.

Cllr Keith Moffitt, Leader of Camden Council, said:

“We’ve taken another step on towards the regeneration of King’s Cross and strong negotiations have secured a good range of benefits including jobs, housing and community and leisure facilities. We will now be working hard together with local people, partners and the developers to meet the challenges ahead, and make sure that the redevelopment strengthens our local community in every way.”

He added:

“We welcomed the Minister for Industry, Margaret Hodge, to the borough this week to visit two social enterprises – businesses that are giving something back to the local community and helping local people improve their skills and find work. This is precisely what we want to encourage in King’s Cross and this planning decision means we are now at the start of the road to delivering it.”

Cllr Andrew Marshall, Deputy Leader of Camden Council and Executive Member for Equalities and Community Development, said:

“This decision comes in the same week as the announcement that a year from now the Eurostar will be running from the heart of the borough directly to Paris, offering fantastic transport links to mainland Europe. We are starting to see the signs of the imminent changes in life and the economy of King’s Cross. We will be supporting all local Camden residents and businesses to seize the wealth of opportunity on offer and ensure that the regeneration of King’s Cross delivers benefits for everyone.”

Cllr Dawn Somper, Chair of Camden Council’s Development Control Committee, said:

“After careful consideration, the Committee has approved the final details of the Section 106 legal agreement and made the final grant of the necessary planning permissions and consents. The redevelopment of the King’s Cross site is set to deliver an excellent package of benefits for local people, the local area and London as a whole.”

The community benefits will include:

Jobs: creation of an estimated 24 –27,000 jobs; £2.1 million to support the activities of the Construction Training Centre and Skills and Recruitment Centre; training schemes to allow local people to compete successfully for jobs; measures to support existing local businesses
Homes: a total of 1,700 new homes, more than 40 per cent of which will be affordable – the highest for such a development in London – up to 650 units of student accommodation and a nursing home
Community, sports and leisure facilities: a Sure Start children's centre with medical centre, drop in crèche and nursery; play facilities; two form entry primary school; contribution of £1.5m towards secondary school provision in the borough; two healthcare facilities, one a Primary Care Centre and one a Walk in Centre; a leisure centre with 25m swimming pool; indoor sports hall; multi use games area; community meeting facilities; a Social and Community Fund of £1m for community activities
Three new green public spaces, plus new landscaped squares and well-designed and accessible streets, forming almost 40 per cent of the site
A new ‘exploratory’ visitor centre, floating classroom education centre and bridge across the canal to link with Camley Street
Financial contributions to improve adjacent streets, bus stands and bus services and to carry out a feasibility study into providing a new station on the North London railway line at Maiden Lane

The legal agreement also includes:

The protection and enhancement of the area's unique architectural heritage, including restoring major landmark buildings – such as the No. 8 Gasholder, the Gasholder Triplet, the Granary, and the South Stanley Building – to new uses
Environmentally sustainable considerations such as a public bicycle interchange and storage spaces; commitments to carbon savings including energy efficient building design and use of renewable energy, with scope for using wind turbines, solar panels and intelligent lighting; conserved and enhanced habitats along the canal and additional ones on green roofs

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