Planning officers at Camden Council fear government indecision could force the King’s Cross redevelopment to be scrapped.
Speaking at a meeting of the King’s Cross Development Forum planning officers Bob West and Richard Kirby admitted that the long-delayed go-ahead for construction of the Northern Ticket Hall could see the project’s developer, Argent Group (formerly Argent St George), walk away from the scheme.
The Northern Ticket Hall is a massive £450 million underground construction project which would link the Tube station and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) platforms.
Extending seven stories underground, the ticket hall is considered central to the viability of the redevelopment by Argent Group and both Camden and Islington councils.
Bob West told last week’s meeting: “It’s hard to overemphasise the importance of the Northern Ticket Hall to Argent. They believe that it is the factor that makes the development area viable from a transport point of view. There’s every possibility they would feel justified in walking away if it didn’t happen.” Representatives of various interest groups at the meeting, among them the King’s Cross Railway Lands and Cally Rail groups also spoke in favour of lobbying for the construction of the ticket hall.
Originally mooted in the aftermath of the King’s Cross fire in 1987, the idea of building an extended ticket hall was re-introduced as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Its construction was halted in 2003 by the secretary of state pending an inquiry into escalating costs. A judgement had been promised by last September.
Last week’s meeting was called to review the community responses to Argent Group’s plans for the area. More than 1,900 comments were received from 260 individuals, groups and agencies.
Camden Council’s Richard Kirby identified the issues that most concerned people as: the percentage and type of housing included in the scheme, the amount of open space on the site; and the future of the Camley Street Nature Park. Argent Group was unavailable for comment as the CNJ went to press.