Kings Cross Environment

This summer, the entrances to Kings Cross on York Way will close  for ever unless the community can stop it at a meeting on Thursday 19th April at 1900 in Camden Town Hall opposite St Pancras.  Everyone can do their bit – turning up and sitting in the large public gallery will help show Councillors how much the Community cares.  We were on the verge of a breakthrough previously when the meeting ran out of time.   I am grateful for the avalanche of legal, planning and engineering advice that has followed the last meeting and has further strengthened our case.  Readers interested in the history of this issue can find more here.

I have twice offered Network Rail the opportunity for talks to come up with an compromise.  But they have not responded and seem prepared to gamble a £350m development for the sake of a simple access solution at Wharfdale Road.  If Network Rail is reading this, you have my details.

I am grateful to Phil Jeffries for sending the following, which helps clear up confusion about how the meeting will work.

Camden’s DC Committee will resume its consideration of three King’s Cross issues on Thursday 19th April. The Council has just published the following on its website:

“A special meeting of the Committee is scheduled to be held on Thursday, 19th April 2007 at 7.00 p.m. in the Council Chamber to continue the consideration of the items which were partially considered at the meeting on 22nd March 2007.

“Agendas and reports for this meeting will be available from 5:00 p.m. onwards on Wednesday 11th April 2007 at http://www.camden.gov.uk/democracy or by contacting Richard Cutbush in Committee Services, tel: 020 7974 6065 or dc@camden.gov.uk.  Please note that the reports will be those relating to the King’s Cross development which were previously published on the agenda for the meeting of 22nd March 2007.”

The clerks have already told us that:

“The new meeting with the same councillors as heard the initial consideration of the six applications will begin from the point at which the previous meeting finished. As normal practice there will be no new or repeated deputations heard at this meeting, those heard previously will be taken into account by councillors in deciding on the applications. The councillors already have a full report on the range of local people’s views and the results of negotiations with the developers whereby the proposed scheme has been revised to reflect many of these views, plus the supplementary papers that include the submissions from deputations made."

The meeting to conclude the debate on the Kings Cross application will be on Thursday 19th April, probably in the evening at 1900 and presumably in the usual place, Camden Town Hall opposite St Pancras Station.  This is the crunch meeting to decide whether to accept or reject Network Rail’s plans.  Put it in your diaries – there is a large public gallery and it will be entertaining to see Councillors lay into Network Rail’s plans as they did last time.  (Thanks to the many of you who forwarded Angela Ryans email to me).  More details as they arrive. 

Thanks also for the many many offers of help and assistance that have poured into my inbox and helped me strengthen our case substantially.  I didn’t know there were so many planning experts out there.  Any further suggestions pls mail me here.

I have offered Network Rail a meeting but haven’t heard back from them yet.  I also spoke with DfT who are NR’s paymasters – they didn’t seem to be up to speed with the seriousness of the situation for Network Rail who face losing the application all for the sake of access solutions on the East side.