The pavilion proposal for the King’s Cross site

IT is back to the drawing board for developers in King’s Cross after they took the drastic decision to drop plans for a high-end shopping “pavilion” on the old railwaylands.

Argent’s plans for the new structure in the Coal Drop Yards – the centre of the historic Victorian site – had been gone down like a damp squib with people living nearby, including some residents who had spent millions of pounds on flats on the modernised estate.

Longer-term residents also questioned the direction Argent was taking, including The Angel of the North sculptor Sir Antony Gormley who said there was a risk of it becoming like other high streets, rather than a space for unique outlets.

In a letter to the Town Hall he said: “They are intending to bring in a lot of mass brands – fine and useful in their place, but why replicate here what you have in every high street? This seems to be a complete turnaround on the part of [developers] Argent and represents a lack of imagination, a lazy solution in a place that deserves more. We will be left with something that feels sad and broken.”

But this week the New Journal learned that the developers were pausing their plans and the Town Hall has confirmed that the application has now been withdrawn.

Argent’s chairman David Partridge said in a statement to the New Journal: “We are pausing the planning application for the proposed Coal Drops Yard Pavilion at King’s Cross to provide time to review the feedback we have received and then evolve the proposals. Over the last four years, plans for a pavilion have evolved with the benefit of many rich conversations with visitors, workers, residents, and retailers.”

He added: “What we heard shaped the design of a structure that aimed to meet the evolving demands of our King’s Cross community and create a place for all to enjoy. We will now continue our engagement locally to help us refine aspects of the design proposals and identify a solution that supports the vibrancy of the area and creates more reasons to visit, at the same time as continuing to respect heritage.”

The Pavilion, which would be one-store and in the middle of the courtyard, has raised longer term issues over the future of the estate, with tensions between the need for desirable designers or chain stores.

Resident Martin Rynja moved to King’s Cross in 2018 and said there was a sense of relief. He said: “We are thrilled. It is brilliant news.”

He added Argent had originally demolished a viaduct and opened up the Coal Drops courtyard to the public as part of a masterplan and Mr Rynja said Argent need to accept they can’t take back what they have given freely.

“Removing the viaduct was supported because of the idea that Argent were giving us lots of public spaces. They can’t say: we are giving you this square, and then 12 years later come back and say, sorry, we have changed our minds,” he said.

“It got a lot of people really annoyed. Can you imagine if someone dropped a shopping mall in the middle of Trafalgar Square? That is basically what was planned. Where is the public benefit in having what is essentially a 20,000 square foot coffee shop?”

Argent’s retail director James Rayner told the New Journal that the estate was always evolving. New tenants would include smaller outlets – from a pharmacy to a corner shop-style convenience store and affordable cafes.  He said: “We need to be able to offer stores people want every day and have an appeal to a broad audience. “We also need footfall drivers and that means bigger brands alongside the smaller businesses.”