King's Cross Opportunity Area
What is the Opportunity Area?
The King's Cross Opportunity Area covers 54 hectares (134 acres) of land in total. In general, the area is bordered by Euston Road and the two main line stations of St Pancras and King's Cross to the south, the North London Line to the north, York Way to the east and the main lines from St Pancras to the west.
The Regent's Canal runs east-west through the middle of the area. The majority of the area lies within Camden, however, to the north east there is a related development site in Islington. This is generally referred to as the 'Triangle'.
The site contains many buildings of architectural or historic interest and other features like the Camley Street Natural Park.
Where is the Opportunity Area?
Who owns the land?
London & Continental Railways (LCR) are entitled to take full ownership of most of the land in the King's Cross Opportunity Area site once the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) becomes operational with international services to and from St Pancras in 2007.
Exel are the other principle landowners, while British Waterways control the Regent's Canal which flows through the site. LCR and Exel have appointed Argent and St George as their development partners to take forward the development of the site. In the outline planning applications, the site is referred to as 'King's Cross Central'.
How will development be controlled?
During the past three years Camden and Islington councils and the Greater London Authority (GLA) have consulted on a variety of documents and policies that will guide development in the King's Cross Opportunity Area. These polices and documents include:
Our objectives for the new development: 'King's Cross - towards an integrated city' (2001):
Islington Council Unitary Development Plan (2002)
The UDP contains planning policies for the whole of the borough. The King's Cross Draft Neighbourhood Framework and Area Action Plans are designed to focus on key opportunities in the King's Cross area.
For more information, call the Islington King's Cross Team on 020 7527 2297/3505 or email: kxteam@islington.gov.uk
Unitary Development Plan (UDP)
King's Cross policies - Replacement UDP, Chapter 9
The UDP contains planning policies for the whole of the borough. Because there is so much going on in King's Cross, and because it contains such a large development opportunity, there is a chapter dedicated to the policies for King's Cross.
Adopted in 2003, these policies are now in the Camden Replacement UDP, which is expected to be adopted in mid 2006:
Joint Camden and Islington King's Cross Opportunity Area Planning and Development Brief (2004)
The Area Planning and Development Brief gives a developer guidance about what the councils want to see included in the future development of the area and sets out issues that a developer should address:
Revised King's Cross Conservation Area Statement
The revised statement updates and amends the older statement to include changes caused by construction work for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link:
Regent's Canal Conservation Area Statement
Mayor's London Plan
The London Plan is a wide-ranging plan for the capital's development. It sets guidelines for how London should grow and change, including the King's Cross Opportunity Area. The plan was published on 10 February 2004.
Contact
For more information please visit www.london.gov.uk
For further information please contact the King's Cross Team