T6 

Planning reference number 2010/4468/P

“Development of a building of between 14-27 storeys (67-105m AOD) for student housing and ancillary uses together with a Class A1 and/or A3 and/or A4 unit at ground floor level, hard and soft landscaping including central courtyard, servicing, car and cycle parking and infrastructure and public realm works on York Way / Canal Street.”

Response by the Forum

The King’s Cross Development Forum is concerned with ensuring that development of the King’s Cross area meets the needs of people living or working there now and in the future. It comprises individuals and representatives of member organisations from the local communities.

The Forum does not always comment on planning applications; it often leaves that to member organisations, which may use its observations. However, in the present case a full meeting of the Forum that debated the application resolved to submit its objections and seek refusal.

The application is a complete fresh planning application, not simply approval of details within the established Outline Permission. The Forum was consulted informally by Argent and its advisors at a meeting in June, when the scheme was in its late stages of planning. It has now seen the scheme as finally submitted.

1.  The Forum greatly welcomed the informal consultations before the submission of the application. It thanks Argent and its advisors for taking part and for coping courteously with some robust comments.

2.  The scheme departs from the Outline Permission; in particular, it rises to 27 storeys. The Forum is concerned that local views, notably from the Maiden Lane Estate and some areas in Islington will be transformed. Camden councillors should satisfy themselves that the Maiden Lane residents and TRA, together with Islington residents, have been properly consulted and that their opinions have been taken into account.

Careful studies of views are submitted with the Design and Access Statement. However, some of the montage images in the application use perspectives which suggest that the tower would be similar in height to the other buildings on York Way; in fact it would be about twice as high and would increase the feeling of York Way as a canyon.

The tower could set a precedent for other high buildings in nearby areas and represents a major departure from the height constraints agreed between Camden and the applicants in the Outline Permission for King’s Cross Central. It also conflicts with policies in Islington, where tall buildings are regarded as unsuitable for most parts of the Borough. It would have about the same height as St Pancras’ clock tower.

3.  The new developments on York Way, including that proposed in the application, have requirements for transport, retail and other facilities. At the meeting in June the Forum made a very strong plea that provision to satisfy these requirements should be the subject of concerted planning by Argent, its partners in the developments, Camden, Islington and TfL. There will be students living in T6, students and staff at UoA, general needs housing residents and special needs housing residents, as well as the long-suffering existing residents of the area in both Boroughs.

The Forum has seen no evidence that relevant consultations, effective planning or management arrangements have been put in place to ensure provision. It considers that Camden should not grant permission until this matter has been put on a secure footing.

4.   There are concerns about the ceiling height, floor space and storage in the proposed student rooms. While the plans no doubt conform to the minima set by building regulations and national standards for student accommodation, London students, especially in art, architecture and similar subjects, now experience severe problems from having little space at their colleges and thus have to work on, and store, everything in their rooms. More generous spaces would therefore be appropriate.

Comments by the Planning Response Team

1.  We very much welcome the advance pre-application consultations and thank Argent and their advisors for taking part and for coping courteously with some robust comments.

2.  The scheme departs from the outline Planning Permission and in particular rises to 27 storeys. The change is apparently due to better meeting the needs of student housing where a large number of single rooms is required, and avoiding a sewer which crosses the site. Student housing calls for shallow building depth and thus the plan leaves part of the site as open space, but increases the height on part of the building in order to provide the originally-planned amount of acommodation, necessary for financial viability. (It is not clear why these matters were not foreseen when the original Outline scheme was being designed.) This tower is described as a ‘gateway’ and “urban marker in terms of signposting the northern entrance to King’s Cross Central, bookending and completing the building zone in Zone T and in views within the Main Site.” The Forum is concerned that local views, notably from the Maiden Lane Estate and some areas in Islington would be affected in ways that upset people. Careful studies of views are submitted with the Design and Access Statement and Camden Councillors should satisfy themselves that the Maiden Lane TRA has been properly consulted and that their views have been taken into account before granting permission.

3.  We made (in June) a very strong plea for the sequencing of provision to meet retail and service needs (including bus services) of the burgeoning population along York Way to be the subject of concerted planning by Argent, its partners in the developments, Camden and Islington and TfL. There will be students (both resident in T6 and studying at UoA), general needs housing and special needs housing residents, in addition to the long-suffering existing residents of the area. We see no evidence that such consultations or planning / management arrangements have been put in place and consider that Camden should defer permission until this matter has been put on a secure footing.