Kings Cross Environment

Word on the street is that the miserable design for the new square between Pancras Road, Euston Road and York Way is not the responsibility of Network Rail after all… It is said that LB Camden planners advised Network Rail that they could not build any new structures, could not have any planting except for the proposed four trees, refused permission to site a Henry Moore sculpture there, could not have a water feature of any kind… in fact could not do anything except tear down the existing concourse, retain the existing two ventilation shafts and tube entrance and otherwise pave everything.

Anyone looking at the Network Rail model should bear in mind that the trees on Euston Road and Pancras Road don't actually exist and as far as we can tell there are no plans to plant them. They are, In Network Rail's words, artistic license". The one existing tree in that space appears to be set for the chop. Also, bear in mind the huge space we are talking about – not just the pavement you can see. The new square will cover everything right back to the original station front – including all that currently internal stuff like the shops, ticket office and departure boards.

So what to do? There are voices out there calling for a campaign to pressure LB Camden to reverse their current advice and let Network Rail build a really imaginative square.

If you live in Camden, contact your local councillors asap and tell them not to accept this current design.

If you are interested in campaigning on this issue email here. We'll keep a list of email addresses and circulate a mailing list to emailers once it becomes a practical size.

In June 2008, with much fanfare, Network Rail launched an international design competition with the aim of seeking a "world class exemplar design" for "one of London's most high profile public realm projects"; indeed, "the most significant piece of place making for many years". We've been waiting with bated breath to see the design. True we were always going to be harsh critics, particularly because we've been kept out of the loop throughout the process and many of us are likely to be kept out of the decision making process that will approve Network Rail's future planning application. Despite my rather low expectation when I went to see the new design being shown at the station today, I did think I'd see something new, innovative, exciting maybe even challenging.

I saw a huge pavement, an entrance to the tube, two ventilation shafts and a few benches. Oh, and four trees.

Something must have gone badly wrong here. During the design process the architect must have hit so many barriers to creating anything imaginative that they have had to settle with tearing down the plastic bit in front of the station and doing a bit of paving.

Construction projects are horribly difficult, with the best will in the world much can go wrong. But if there are insurmoutable design barriers, why keep that so very quiet for all this time? And why launch the design this week as if it's something to be proud of? It clearly falls far short of Network Rail's original expectations. It looks exactly like the simple graphic that's been on the hoardings for months, not the result of an international design competition.

What next? Unfortunately, Islington residents and businesses won't be fully included in the planning process as the station falls just inside the Camden border. Luckily, Camden residents and businesses can have a huge influence however. We urge everyone to respond to the public consultation about the square and press for it to be at least a bit better than the plain big pavement it looks like it might turn out to be.

One of the trustees at a local charity has been asking for some time that the new public square become a peace garden, green and with some suitable water feature. Please, please Network Rail, have a heart and think again.

Image from the Network Rail leaflet "A New Space for London"

The exhibition showing the new square continues at King's Cross Station until Tuesday 26 July 2011, responses to the Network Rail consultation can be made online.

Statutory consultation will take place once Network Rail submits a detailed planning application.

If you hear any news about the new Square please let us know, we'll keep you as up to date as we can.