Gateway to Europe #1

King’s Cross special edition

The regeneration magazine for King’s Cross Business Forum

King’s Cross special edition

Foreword 04 B ack to the future Take a walk through the streets of King’s Cross in 2015. What will the Camden of the future be like once all the building work is finished?

Editor: Sarah Herbert sarah@3foxinternational.com Deputy editor: Kirsty MacAulay kirsty@3foxinternational.com

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Art editor: Terry Hawes terry@3foxinternational.com

06 G ateway With the arrival of Eurostar at St Pancras in November, King’s Cross will become the gateway to Europe. So how does the area plan to live up to its new title?

Contributors: David Blackman, Pamela Buxton, David Taylor, John Windell, Noella Pio Kivlehan Advertisement sales: Lee Harrison lee@3foxinternational.com

14 Regeneration map The main projects shaping the King’s Cross regeneration scheme.

Production: Sue Mapara sue@3foxinternational.com Managing director: Toby Fox toby@3foxinternational.com

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Printed by: Trade Winds Images: London Continental Railways, Roundhouse, Allied London, Argent, Manhattan Loft Corporation, Transport for London, Hufton & Crow, Mickey Lee

contents

An overview of the growing office, residential and leisure markets.

189 Lavender Hill London SW11 5TB T: 020 7978 6840 F: 020 7978 6837

Business initiatives manager Sandi Phillips

29 T ogether stronger The King’s Cross Business Forum gives local businesses much more than just a networking opportunity. The initiative is helping ensure that its 2,000 members benefit from the area’s regeneration.

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All material is ­strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written ­permission of 3Fox International Limited is strictly ­forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no ­responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this ­magazine are not ­necessarily those of 3Fox International Limited or King’s Cross Business Forum.

A detailed look at Camden’s developments: what is happening where, and who is behind the defining projects.

26 C amden by numbers

Published by:

On behalf of: King’s Cross Business Forum London Borough of Camden 7th Floor, Town Hall Extension Argyle Street London WC1H 8EQ 020 7974 5906 www.camden.gov.uk/business

16 P roject by project

34 M odern history Sometimes seen as an obstacle to redevelopment, listed buildings in Camden are being successfully given a new lease of life.

38 A fter hours With the changes to the borough, even more bars, restaurants and top hotels are springing up – there’s something for everyone.

43 History

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If you require this publication in large print, Braille or in another language telephone 020 7974 6019

A snapshot of King’s Cross station in the 1940s.

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Gateway to Europe: an initiative led by the King’s Cross Business Forum.

One of the council’s corporate priorities is to promote Camden as a borough of opportunity. Leading the way for inward investment and local intervention is the work of Camden’s Business Initiatives Team, one of the main programmes being the King’s Cross Business Forum. With funding from the London Development Agency, this programme delivers local activities aimed at sustaining the local business community. Our main focus is to ensure new and existing businesses are able to access local opportunities arising from the arrival of Eurostar, local developments and, in the long term, the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games.

A borough of immense contrast and diversity it covers 20 square kilometres, encompassing some of the most nationally and internationally recognised areas of London: King’s Cross, Covent Garden, Bloomsbury, Camden Town, Hatton Garden, Tottenham Court Road, and Kentish Town, as well as the beautiful Regent’s Park and Hampstead Heath. Within it all is a wealth of opportunity that increases almost by the day, as new economic, social and cultural capital is attracted to the area.

Camden can boast of having one of the UK’s most qualified workforces, with half its residents educated to degree level or above, representing a key asset for the knowledge economy.

The borough’s position in the heart of London offers unparalleled access to both national and global markets. The large number of thriving businesses endorses our locational strength. Growth sectors are well represented, including arts and culture, business and financial services, mass communications and creative industries, retail and higher education.

People want to live and work in Camden. Jobs and businesses thrive in our high-quality and healthy environment. The increasing level of artistic and cultural facilities has improved the quality of life for residents, businesses and visitors, and forms a significant part of the attraction for private and public sector investment.

Camden’s international reputation as an exciting and attractive place to live, work and visit sees its population double every day with in-commuters and visitors. The resident population is the very definition of multi-cultural, the 120 languages spoken at our schools reflecting the diverse nature of our communities.

The drivers of this success are largely based on historical and geographic strengths, but as the national and international economic climate evolves, so too must Camden.

I hope that this first edition of Gateway to Europe, the regeneration magazine for Camden, gives you an insight into what is taking place here and how it will have a positive impact on our collective vision of making Camden a good place to work and do business.

Andrew Marshall Deputy leader and executive member for equalities and community development, London Borough of Camden

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Future Camden

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05 future camden

to the future Just how different will Camden look once the regeneration project is complete? Our fictional ex-resident takes a journey into the future to find out. By David Taylor

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t’s not like how I remember it at all. The Camden I knew back in 2007 didn’t have the pizzazz it does now. Not quite the same buzz. And it certainly didn’t feel quite such a well-connected, switched-on, European district.

My journey of rediscovery, having left the city for a new life in France eight years ago in 2007, began on the train.

And ironically it was the train that brought new life to the area of King’s Cross with that excellent decision to begin the route to Europe from St Pancras Station in November 2007.

So I was happy to jump on board the spanking new Channel Tunnel Rail Link – or High Speed 1 as it is now called – in Paris and disembark in the newly renovated station just over two hours (barely a croissant munch) later.

With the sun glinting through the glass roof, I feel good.

I’m impressed with the concourse they’ve built here; the shops, the people, the ambience... And a good hotel could not be closer – just upstairs. At the check-in, a kind attendant fills me in on a little of the building’s illustrious history on the way to the lift. “Of course, St Pancras Chambers was a hotel long ago, designed by George Gilbert Scott, before being railway offices and then lying dormant for many years. Personally, I like it better today”, he grins.

I’ll say. The grade I listed building’s interior must be the plushest it’s ever been, with warm colours and grand staircases – no wonder it’s been given five stars. Sadly, no time to waste on the mini-bar: a packed itinerary awaits.

I wander downstairs and through the bustling cafes, restaurants and shops that line the station’s lower levels.

Supping at the longest champagne bar in Europe will have to wait, as will shopping at the farmers’ market, or even sampling the cultural delights of the British Library next door.

Outside, it seems it’s not just St Pancras that’s been transformed. Last time I was here, King’s Cross, like many areas around major transport hubs, used to attract some of London’s less salubrious characters. Not any more – I can’t believe the number of new shops and restaurants. I turn left

into York Way and notice something called Regent Quarter on my right and, around 150m further up, hear the sound of instruments being practised outside Kings Place, home of the London Sinfonietta and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

A brief look around, and it’s coffee time, so I get my espresso fix at a bar alongside the Battlebridge Canal Basin.

Caffeine-enhanced, it’s off up York Way again to my biggest shock yet. When I was here last, this was a vast swathe of railway lands, monumental gas holders, and a mass of derelict ground.

Now there’s what looks like a new city quarter. It’s not quite finished – that should come in 2020 – but I gather it’s already drawn in £2 billion of investment. The historic buildings are still there, but blended into the new development. Despite big-hitters like the Guardian now based here, it seems it’s not all about business. There’s a lovely sense of community too, with children from the new schools playing in the new Cubitt Park. Those old gas holders are still there, alongside evidence of greener power generation – I can spy wind turbines on rooftops and photovoltaics powering the street lights.

And all of it, about 28 hectares, came about thanks to improved transport connections. It seems the London map has changed. This is now the most accessible location in both London and Europe, with two main rail termini, four rail and six London underground lines as well as High Speed 1.

Time for lunch. I head to the Brunswick, which I’d heard had been transformed from a tired old shopping centre to a ‘high street for Bloomsbury’, with shops and restaurants. It works, and honours the original designer’s wish for flexibility, with buildings capable of growth and change.

Now up and into Camden Town itself. The area around the lock never looked like this – all shiny and new. Perhaps it’s all thanks to the confidence brought with the refurbishment of the Roundhouse all those years ago, which has attracted stars to perform inside, and bars and restaurants into its environs.

Enough already. Time to go back to that fantastic hotel. And a spot of research on that champagne bar… ✤

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1 How the new bar lounge of the St Pancras Chambers will look 2 The hotel’s famous facade 3 Eurostar’s new tunnel 4 The Brunswick 5 Kings Place, coming to York Way 6 Camden’s Roundhouse before its rebirth

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Gateway

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Doing the continental

This November, Eurostar will pull into St Pancras for the first time, heralding a new era for King’s Cross as the Gateway to Europe. So what will it mean for Camden? Sarah Herbert reports

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amden is a borough of contrasts and challenges, but exceptional economic and cultural assets. It is already one of the largest economies of any local authority area, contributing about 1% to national GDP. Now it faces maybe its greatest period of change yet as the King’s Cross area is transformed into the ‘Gateway to Europe’. Over the next 20 years King’s Cross will become a new quarter for London, and the largest transport hub in Europe. It is estimated that by 2008/09 nine million Eurostar passenger trips will be taken from St Pancras per year, and by 2020, up to 25,000 jobs will have been created in the area.

The first Eurostar trains, with their top speed of 186mph, will make their arrival at St Pancras on 14 November this year, on High Speed 1 (HS1, the new name for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link) – the UK’s first new railway for 100 years.

From then on, London to central Paris will take only just over two hours, Brussels less than two hours, and Lille an hour and a half. Camden will be connected to the growing European high-speed network that now stretches across 3,750km from the Netherlands and Germany, to Italy, Spain and beyond.

It will also take advantage of the high-speed lines being completed in mainland Europe, such as the new TGV Est high-speed line from Paris to Strasbourg to be completed in August 2007, and the Dutch high-speed line linking Brussels and Amsterdam at the end of 2007, which will expand the European high-speed network to 6,000km by 2010.

Together with links with Midland Mainline, Thameslink (a new station will open in November) and Southeastern’s domestic high-speed services, and services to Scotland from King’s Cross, Eurostar will seamlessly connect the rest of Europe to the Midlands, northern England and even Scotland via, of course, the borough of Camden.

Transport within London and the borough is set for a radical overhaul too, with the new fleet of bullet trains operating on HS1 as the ‘Olympic Javelin’, moving >

Left: The dramatic arc of St Pancras International station roof.

Above: Dramatic transformation wof King’s Cross is already under way.

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The land around St Pancras is one of Europe’s largest inner-city redevelopment opportunities

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gateway

25,000 spectators every hour, in a mere seven minutes, between central London and Stratford International in the heart of the Olympic Park. And from 2015 the planned Cross River Tram from Camden to Brixton will add to the transport mix.

The North London Line which runs through the north of the King’s Cross area, joining Richmond and Stratford, is going to be upgraded, with new services from the end of 2007 and new trains by the end of 2008, and rebranded as London Overground. And, of course, King’s Cross is already served by six underground lines – Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria, Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith and City Lines – and many bus services connecting it with the West End, the city and beyond.

Bob West, service manager at Camden Council’s planning department, says: “There’s a growing interest in rail journeys, especially over longer distances. Going to Paris – after a 10-minute check-in at the station, allowing for a journey to your destination at the other end – you’re looking at three hours door to door. If you were to fly it would take four or five hours. And, what’s more, trains emit ten times less carbon emissions than low-cost airlines on equivalent journeys.”

All this infrastructure improvement, especially High Speed 1, is a powerful catalyst for regeneration. The predicted £10 billion of investment in areas next to the new Eurostar stations at Ebbsfleet, Stratford and St Pancras will result in 100,000 new jobs, 18,000 new homes, and major retail, leisure and commercial facilities.

But it is St Pancras International that will be Europe’s ‘destination station’. The Victorian gothic icon is being restored to its former grandeur (at a cost of £800 million) with various facilities to make it a destination in its own right, such as the longest champagne bar in Europe, a daily farmers’ market and Arcade, a mix of independent and boutique retailers offering produce and merchandise from Brussels, Paris and London.

Above the station, Manhattan Loft Corporation will be refurbishing the grade I-listed former Midland Grand Hotel in a £150 million programme to bring it back to its former glory, restoring historic internal rooms to become a 245-bed, five-star Marriott hotel, with 67 loft apartments in the upper levels – all of which have been sold off-plan for occupation in 2009 – and a sympathetically designed hotel extension at the rear.

The land around King’s Cross and St Pancras presents one of the largest inner-city redevelopment

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opportunities in Europe. The 27ha of run-down industrial and railway land, punctuated by elegant historic buildings, gas holders and a romantic urban landscape along the Regent’s Canal will be transformed, with nearly 500,000 sq m of offices, 50,000sq m of retail (with a proposed 120 of the businesses as independents, to guard against creating a ‘clone town’) and 1,900 new homes – from studio flats to four-bed family homes – centred around 20 new streets, 10 new squares and three new parks. More than 40% of the area will be public realm, and, along with 50 new buildings (designed by some of the UK’s brightest architectural talent), the scheme will also reuse 20 historic buildings, including the Granary, the German Gymnasium, and the listed gasholders.

By 2010, on completion of phase one, the aim is to have 1,000 homes and half the office accommodation completed to create a ‘critical mass‘ to spur on further development.

But development isn’t confined to King’s Cross Central.

To the east of King’s Cross station is Regent Quarter, a mixed-use development by P&O, where restored Georgian and Victorian housing and old warehouses mix with new buildings to create courtyards and pedestrian areas. And on York Way, the new Kings Place building will become home of the Guardian newspaper and the London Sinfonietta. In the south of the borough the Brunswick has been spruced up, and the influence of regeneration is spreading northwards too.

So what will all this development mean for Camden’s business and residents? For residents old and new, >

Who’s who n London & Continental Railways (LCR): Joint landowner, selected by the government in 1996 to build and operate the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), now High Speed 1, and to own and operate the UK arm of the Eurostar. The property division – London & Continental Stations & Properties (LCSP) – will manage St Pancras station and oversee the development of land alongside HS1. www.lcrhq.co.uk n Excel: Joint landowner. A supply chain company, it owns industrial buildings and a goods yard to both the north and south of the Regent’s Canal. www.excel.com n Argent: Property developer, previously responsible for Brindleyplace in Birmingham and Piccadilly in Manchester, behind the planned King’s Cross Central development.

Argent is putting £800 million into the £3 billion scheme. www.argentkingscross.com

Above: the new Eurostar station at St Pancras.

Right, and above right: High Speed 1 is Europe’s most ambitious civil engineering project.

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The new Eurostar terminal will offer enormous opportunities to increase trade with Europe and the rest of the country

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11 gateway

Right: The Meeting Place – a 20-tonne, 9m bronze sculpture

by Paul Day for St Pancras station concourse – is designed to evoke the traditional emotion and glamour of rail travel.

Above: Sustainable communities are vital to the success of King’s Cross Central.

the idea behind King’s Cross Central is to create a new community. The 1,900 new homes will be served by a primary school on the site, a children’s centre and a public swimming pool. Planning permission for the scheme is at the final stages of a section 106 agreement, requiring 40% of the housing to be affordable.

As for business opportunities, Camden already has one of the most thriving business districts in London, with more than 18,770 VAT-registered businesses and countless more small companies. It has the second-largest knowledge economy in London (after the City) the third largest economy in London, the seventh largest nationally, and high rates of entrepreneurship. It has grown by 16% in the past decade, compared to the national growth rate of only 8% in the same period.

And it looks like the Eurostar plans are only going to boost this. Even before King’s Cross Central marketing started, Argent had 24 major corporate retailers expressing interest, including a number of French firms who like the idea of having the high-speed line on their doorstep.

Camden has a very strong knowledge economy with a large medical and university cluster, encompassing the Wellcome Centre, the Royal Veterinary College and University College Hospital.

Andrew Marshall, Camden Council’s executive member for equalities and community development, says: “Camden is already a centre of commerce and business. The new Eurostar terminal will offer enormous opportunities to increase trade with Europe and the rest of the country.”

Central to helping local businesses will be the King’s Cross Business Forum, established with the London Development Agency in 2003, which now has a membership of 2,000. It

A human city, Principles for King’s Cross Central: Economy London is the ‘engine room’ of the regional and national economy. King’s Cross has a major part to play in facilitating economic development and contributing to the capital’s continued economic growth Equality Regeneration of King’s Cross must deliver benefits to existing communities. Development would help to improve local opportunities for jobs, training and housing and facilitate better access to healthcare, education and other services Environment Redevelopment of the King’s Cross lands presents opportunities to enhance greatly the quality of the townscape and public realm, and to adopt wider sustainability principles, for example in terms of energy efficiency, the use of water and the recycling of materials.

Source: Argent

provides advice for local businesses, including regulation advice, seminars and networking events (including Gateway to Europe events during the annual national Enterprise Week), and a business directory and newsletter. (For more on the King’s Cross Business Forum, see p29.)

Another LDA-funded project is King’s Cross Supply, a brokerage service set up in March 2006 to help local business take advantage of the £2 billion procurement opportunities coming to the King’s Cross area. It is based on good practice piloted during construction of Arsenal’s new Emirates Stadium up the road, which secured 17 contracts worth £4.05 million for local businesses.

It is not just existing businesses that need help. Says

Eurostar use n UK residents outnumber overseas users by 3:2. n A third of people are travelling alone. n Half of all overseas passengers are aged between 25-44. Only 14% are aged over 55. n Just over half are on holiday, and 28% are on business. n Day trips account for 13% of passengers.

The average length of stay is just over five nights for overseas visitors. n Around 60% of passengers are using paid accommodation.

The rest are on day trips or staying with friends and family. n Two thirds of passengers have an origin or destination in Greater London.

Marshall: “We need to tap the entrepreneurial spirit that exists in Camden and ensure that everyone who has a great idea gets the chance to turn it into reality and hopefully thriving business. By doing so we will help bring jobs and investment to the borough and help ensure that every part of Camden has the same chance to thrive.”

To this end, Centa Business Services (Camden’s local enterprise agency) has been expanded into a small business centre offering hot-desking, start-up accommodation and meeting rooms for people starting a business, especially for black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) groups, social enterprises and creative and high-tech industries. The aim is to replicate this model in the King’s Cross developments, to increase the amount of small business start-up space in Camden.

Another programme offers business support through local voluntary and community sector organisations and religious groups which, along with forum events and grants, have created 16 new BAME-owned businesses. And CreateKX, owned by people working in creative and cultural companies, aims to inspire, motivate and grow the creative community.

One of the biggest opportunities for local people over the next 12 years will be the scale of construction at King’s Cross, which Camden Council estimates will need a workforce of up to 3,000 full-time employees. An on-site construction training and recruitment centre called King’s Cross Working (KCW) is a partnership project between local authorities, the LDA, Jobcentre Plus, Argent, and LCR. Since it opened in summer 2004, KCW has registered more than 2,000 clients, provided training to 850 people, delivered 350 qualifications and helped more than 200 people into construction jobs.

Many opportunities for the area also lie in the increase in tourism. Just as the Waterloo area benefited during its time as the Eurostar terminal, so will King’s Cross. Though as a much larger hub than Waterloo, with better transport links and a bigger cultural and leisure offer, both existing and in the pipeline, the effects will be even greater. For example, a number of fringe theatres and independent cinemas are already contemplating a move to King’s Cross Central.

Eurostar’s estimated 4.5 million passengers by 2008/09 will afford great opportunities for the area, the greatest to be found in developing places to stay, encouraging exploration of the local area, and raising awareness of what the area has to offer so Eurostar customers come back again later.

A report by the Tourism Company for the LDA estimates a demand for one million bed-nights, which could be met in the local area. Benefits could be maximised by such measures as promoting accommodation/Eurostar packages, especially to those travelling to Europe from the North or Midlands; making it easier to book accommodation at the new terminal, as well as Paris and Brussels; and improving the quality of the lower end of the independent hotel market.

Although one of King’s Cross’s advantages is its easy access to other parts of London, visitors could be encouraged to explore the immediate area by such measures as convenient left-luggage facilities, simple maps and information available at the station and pedestrian signposting.

To retain business visitors, efforts should concentrate on creating meeting facilities in the area.

The report also identified the importance of improving the quality of welcome at St Pancras station, and enhancing the overall experience of visiting London. ✤

Project by project A guide to the developments and initiatives shaping the borough’s transformation, now and in the future

regeneration overview 12

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3 create kx An initiative established in 2004 to promote the area’s large number of creative and cultural organisations.

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5 hatton garden In the rapidly developing historic street, steps are being taken to ensure the area’s traditional jewellery industry is not priced out of the area.

4 wellcome trust The converted Wellcome Trust’s former HQ now provides space for three galleries showcasing exhibitions of medical, cultural and ethical significance.

6 kings place Completion of this seven-storey mixed use development is due next year. The building will offer office space alongside bars, waterfront restaurants, art galleries and a 420-seat concert hall.

REGENERATION MAP

2 cultural bloomsbury An initiative bringing together academic, not-for-profit and corporate sectors to highlight Bloomsbury’s culture, history and academia.

1 King’s Cross Central The redevelopment of this 67-acre brownfield site over the next 15 years will incorporate residential, office, retail, education, community and leisure, with large parks and public squares.

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7 st pancras chambers The £100 million redevelopment of George Gilbert Scott’s masterpiece by the Manhattan Loft Corporation will provide a 245-bed five-star hotel with 68 residential apartments.

Due for completion 2008/2009.

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8 st pancras international With the imminent arrival of the Eurostar in November, St Pancras station has undergone an £800 million upgrade. It will offer retail, leisure and dining options that will set it apart from other train stations as a destination in itself.

9 the brunswick The £24 million redevelopment of this formerly run-down residential/retail site has transformed it. Now home to Gap, Waitrose and Carluccio’s, it is the perfect destination for lunch or a spot of shopping.

10 the roundhouse The comprehensive redevelopment of the legendary Roundhouse has had a positive effect on the local area. The new music venue houses studios and state-of-the-art recording facilities for young people to realise their artistic aspirations.

11 King’s Cross underground station The £300 million remodelling of the station will improve congestion and increase capacity.

The first phase of the development is complete, the project will be finished by 2011.

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» Project by project

project by project

Moving on

Embracing its new role as the gateway to Europe, King’s Cross is undergoing major redevelopment. The arrival of the Eurostar has provided the catalyst for the area’s regeneration, transforming it into London’s international business and cultural quarter.

Central to this dramatic shift are the newbuild and refurbishment projects that will shape the landscape and infrastructure.

The raft of developments currently planned, under way and complete will provide a major transport hub, luxury hotel, office space, museum, art galleries and music venues, encouraging residents and visitors alike to rediscover King’s Cross >

THE Brunswick

Landscaping, redevelopment of retail space and a comprehensive paint job have transformed the formerly rundown Brunswick into Bloomsbury’s premier retail destination

Nestled between King’s Cross and Russell Square the Brunswick is like marmite: you either love it or hate it.

Those who love it will be pleased to hear the grade II listed mega structure has recently been the subject of a £24 million regeneration scheme. Allied London bought the centre in 1998, and worked with architect Levitt Bernstein and the original designer, Patrick Hodgkinson, to give it a new lease of life.

Previously only frequented by architecture fans, or film buffs heading for the Renoir art house cinema, the Brunswick has been transformed into a new high street for Bloomsbury, lined with high-ranking retail names such as Waitrose, Gap, Benetton and Carluccio’s, complementing the nearby independent retailers on Marchmont Street. The redevelopment has created over 2,000sq m of extra retail space. George Scott, project architect at Levitt Bernstein, says: “The biggest intervention was the creation of a new building at the end of the concourse. Shop fronts were extended to increase

retail space and windows on to the street were added to the end units.”

The site has been landscaped; plants, trees, seating and a water feature added; and the concrete flooring replaced with granite. A night-time lighting scheme improves safety and provides an extra level of interest.

White anti-carbonation paint on the vast façade protects the concrete, dramatically improving the building’s appearance and realising the original design, which specified that the concrete should be painted.

To celebrate the redevelopment’s completion, Allied London sponsored the inaugural Bloomsbury Festival last year – restoring the Brunswick’s cultural status and celebrating the Bloomsbury area’s strong cultural heritage. Last year’s event included aerial dance displays with performers dangling from the newly painted east façade of the Brunswick, as well as music, storytelling for children and an architecture forum hosted by Patrick Hodgkinson.

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Roundhouse

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HATTON GARDEN

The full-height glazed atrium at the heart of Derwent’s new Garden House Hatton Garden

Hatton Garden, the heart of London’s diamond trade since the 1830s, is undergoing a renaissance, thanks to a combination of its location – between the city and the West End – and soaring City rents. For example, the last floor of Derwent London’s 15,000sq m redevelopment of the 1930s Johnson Building into New Garden House has just been let to a media company for £45 per sq ft. The building, bought two years ago for £29 million, is now reckoned to be worth more than £100 million.

Rising rents and redevelopment can often force out local traders.

Camden Council’s planning policies are ensuring this doesn’t happen to the local jewellery industry, including more than 150 micro manufacturers.

For example, development of New Garden House was agreed on the provision of Langdales, 560sq m of affordable workspace, of which the council leases three floors as a flagship centre. And Unite’s £11.3 million conversion of the De Beers office into student housing has yielded 30 new workspace units, thanks to another policy of allowing developers to apply for change of use from office to residential, as long as they give back 50% of the building as affordable workspace.

The Roundhouse, one of London’s leading music venues in the 1960s and 1970s, has been redeveloped to provide a shiny new performance arena for north London. The distinctive building started life in 1846 as an engine shed for trains and was later used as a gin warehouse, but it wasn’t till 1964 that it was established as a performing arts venue hosting big names including Jimi Hendrix, the Doors and Pink Floyd.

In 1996 Sir Torquil Norman bought the building and set up the Roundhouse Trust to provide a creative centre for young people. In 2004 the Roundhouse closed for a £29.7 million redevelopment, now complete, into a fully equipped state-ofthe-art performance space with capacity

for 1,800 seated and 3,300 standing.

A new wraparound building provides essential facilities such as the public foyer, box office, cloakroom, offices, cafes and bars without impinging on the performance space.

The 1,300sq m vaulted space beneath the main stage has been transformed into a creative centre for young people, the Roundhouse Studios. The facilities include recording and music production studios, film and TV production studios and edit suites, drama and music practise rooms, a radio broadcasting unit and digital media suites. Integral to the trust’s ethos of providing facilities for 13-25 year-olds to realise their artistic aspirations, more than 10,000 young people have passed through their doors already.

Since its long-awaited relaunch in

2006 the Roundhouse has hosted the spectacular Fuerzabruta show, and the late James Brown, Paul Weller and the Who at the BBC’s five-day electric proms festival. In 2007 visitors can look forward to an Indian production of Midsummer Night’s Dream, along with stints by the famed Patti Smith and legendary jazz musician Willie Colon.

The Roundhouse is keen that the development has a positive effect on the local area. It has proved popular with local residents who are making the most of the new bar and restaurant facilities and businesses in the immediate vicinity who have reported a marked upturn in takings.

The Roundhouse offers not only a venue for music and theatre but a creative centre for young people and bar and restaurant facilities for visitors and local people

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London and Continental Railways’ (LCR) extensive restoration and redevelopment work will transform London’s iconic terminus into an international transport hub. Hailed as Europe’s largest international rail station, it will be home to Eurostar and the UK’s first new main line track for more than 100 years.

The £800 million development will be unveiled on 14 November – 13 years to the day after the first Eurostar service ran from London to Paris. Now, however, the journey will be up to 25 minutes faster, making the trip from London to Paris in just 2 hours 15 minutes.

The station’s ground floor, originally used solely for storage, is about to be given a new lease of life as a retail area and processing hub for Eurostar. It is here that visitors will find the longest champagne bar in Europe, running the full length of the renovated train shed, as well as a farmers’ market, gastro pub and independent retailers. The station will offer visitors a European experience complete with chocolatieres, patisseries and bars with British ale.

When the station was first built it was the place to be seen in Victorian London. However, when it fell into decline, diesel fumes built up on the spectacular glass roof and damaged panes were replaced with bits of tin and asbestos. LCR hopes that by restoring the station to its original

When it was built in 1868 William Henry Barlow’s train shed was the largest singlespan structure in the world, its restoration included the instalation of 14,000 panes of glass

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St Pancras International

glory it will reclaim its glamour and become a meeting place once again, whether you’re getting on a train or not.

If you are travelling from St Pancras you’ll have plenty of destination choices. Alongside Eurostar services the station will offer trains

by Midland Mainline, Thameslink, the newly installed high speed domestic lines (including the Olympic Javelin seven-minute service to Stratford station) and six underground lines. An option has been incorporated to accommodate the yet-to-be confirmed Cross River Tram.

The redevelopment of St Pancras is central to the regeneration of the King’s Cross area, something LCR was aware of from the project’s outset. Ben Ruse, head of LCR media, explains: “LCR has a real desire to see the positive effects of what we’re doing inside the station replicated outside. When the project was started in 1997 the importance of the station and its ability to foster regeneration was recognised. It has become the catalyst for the redevelopment of the area.”

Designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, architect of the Albert Memorial, this extravagent building opened in 1876 as the Midland Grand Hotel

St Pancras chambers The vast, red-brick giant that is St Pancras Chambers holds a special place in the heart of many Londoners. A spectacular landmark since its creation at the end of the 19th century, it was awarded grade I listed status in 1967.

“St Pancras Chambers is a very important building for the local area, and London, and regularly features in Londoners’ top five landmarks,” says Angus Boag, managing director of Manhattan Loft Corporation (MLC).

“We see the transformation of this building, which has lain empty for so long, as an extremely significant addition to the area and hope to run public tours explaining its history.”

Although MLC acquired the building in 1998, construction didn’t commence until 2006 when elements of the adjoining station’s development were complete. St Pancras Chambers will be transformed into a 245-bed five-star hotel with 68 residential apartments, two bars (one in the old ticket hall and a cocktail bar in the original entrance), a restaurant, leisure centre and ballroom – the existing one restored to its original glory.

Just 54 of the hotel rooms will be accommodated within the main building, the remainder being housed in a new extension to the rear, built in the same style as the main building. All of the apartments are now sold – the majority were snapped up off-plan. The first apartments will be completed in 2008 and the hotel the following year.

The imminent transformation of King’s Cross into London’s central transport hub was a major factor in MLC’s decision to get involved in the development. “The fact the building is next to the new home of Eurostar was a major influence in bidding for the development,” Boag explains. “The location is essential for the hotel. The high-speed international rail link, together with the King’s Cross Central project, provided the perfect justification for the development of a five-star hotel. There is a lot happening in the area, people will be met with great energy and activity as they step off the Eurostar and we want to be part of it.”

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King’s Cross Central

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and 45,000sq m of retail floor space.

Comprehensive leisure facilities will include a swimming pool, an indoor sports hall, games area and play park, while community facilities will consist of two primary schools, two health centres and a children’s centre incorporating nursery and drop-in crèche.

Great emphasis is being placed on the need for green spaces within the project.

Three new bridges (two foot/cycle bridges) will be constructed across the Regent’s Canal, three parks and five squares (the largest covering nearly 7,000sq m) will be installed and a network of pedestrian routes

will link King’s Cross Central with existing neighbourhoods. A listed Victorian gas holder is to be transformed into a public space with two public platforms, seating and a multifunctional ramp linking the ground and first floor levels.

The 20 historic buildings on the site will be retained and refurbished as part of the project. Central St Martins College of Art and Design is planning to occupy a combination of new-build and grade II listed buildings at the heart of the development, reconfirming King’s Cross as the new home for London’s creative and cultural sectors.

CreateKX

21 King’s Cross has a high proportion of creative and cultural businesses and organisations, many of them promoted by CreateKX

CreateKX is putting King’s Cross on the map as a dynamic and creative neighbourhood. The initiative, funded by the London Development Agency, encourages large cultural organisations such as the British Library, British Museum, Wellcome Trust and smaller creative businesses to work together providing support and advice to promote the cultural and creative industries in the area.

Gill Henderson, CreateKX director, explains: “The planned regeneration in the area has focused attention on the need for a strategy for our creative industries, which resulted in the conception of CreateKX. “We want to encourage people to relocate to the area. The fantastic improvement to transport links in King’s Cross will make the area much more attractive to businesses and encourage inward investment.

“Our members have a common goal in wanting people to recognise what King’s Cross has to offer. Rather than getting off the train here and heading into central London we want people to see the benefits of staying here, for both

business and leisure, so the area blooms and becomes one of the capital’s key destinations.”

CreateKX is currently working with landowner London and Continental Railways, and Camden Council’s arts team, to provide a programme of activities and live events to celebrate the unveiling of St Pancras station in November, with artists and organisations from the local area taking part, as well as projects in France and Belgium. ‘Arrivals’ will both provide entertainment for local people and workers and encourage visitors arriving from Europe to stay in the area and explore what King’s Cross has to offer.

project by project

The development of the 27ha (67-acre) brownfield site immediately to the north of King’s Cross and St Pancras mainline stations will complete the area’s regeneration. A joint venture by developer Argent and landowners London and Continental Railways and Exel, the first phase of the £2 billion project will be completed by 2010.

The proposed mixed-use development will feature almost 2,000 new homes – a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom homes, including student accommodation and affordable housing – more than 455,000sq m of commercial floor space

Cultural Bloomsbury

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23 project by project

The Foundling Museum in Bloomsbury, part of Museum Mile

Wellcome Trust collection

Egyptian medical prescriptions and AIDS campaign posters. Additionally it has a conference centre, members club, café and bookshop.

The trust hopes to challenge and inspire visitors to consider issues of science, health and human identity through the ages. Entrance is free and a programme of regular events will be held featuring experts and personalities from the worlds of art, science and medicine.

Central to the trust’s ethos is the Wellcome Collection’s place as an integral part of a new cultural quarter in the King’s Cross area. Dr Mark Walport, Wellcome Trust director, explains: “Engaging with the public is an important part of the trust’s mission. The applications, implication and impacts of the biomedical sciences touch us all.”

Bloomsbury sits at the heart of Camden’s cultural, historical and academic heritage. The Bloomsbury Festival was launched last year by Allied London to celebrate the area’s rich cultural aspects. The three-day extravaganza, involving local school children, businesses and residents, was a huge hit. This year’s festival will feature music, dance, theatre, literature, photography and debate through a range of public concerts, events, open-houses, debates and children’s activities.

Many of the borough’s cultural gems are highlighted in London’s Museum Mile, which runs from Camden to Embankment through Bloomsbury. The British Library is the starting point for the walk, which guides visitors to the Foundling Museum, Percival David foundation of Chinese art, the British Museum and Brunei Gallery SOAS through some of London’s most interesting squares, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Russell Square and Coram’s Fields.

Cultural Bloomsbury partners include the British Library, Eurostar, the Charles Dickens Museum, the Centre for African Studies, Coram’s Fields, King’s Cross Business Forum, the Foundling Museum, the Goodenough Club and the Brunswick.

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The Wellcome Trust has a long history in the King’s Cross area and opened its newly refurbished doors to the public this summer

Established in 1936, the Wellcome Trust is an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. Its founder, Sir Henry Wellcome, was a pharmacist, entrepreneur, philanthropist and collector. The Wellcome Collection, which opened at the trust’s former headquarters in June 2007, includes his vast personal collection of medical objects.

The £30 million transformation of the nine-storey building provides exhibition space for three separate galleries.

The largest space (650sq m) will host temporary shows presenting newly commissioned works of medical, cultural and ethical significance. The permanent collection of 900 objects from Sir Henry Wellcome’s personal collection is housed within the ‘Medicine Man’ gallery while the other gallery will combine art and medicine.

The upgraded building also accommodates the trust’s vast library of medical books, manuscripts, films and more than 100,000 paintings, including Van Gogh’s only etching, ancient

The office/arts venue (home to the Guardian Newspaper and London Sinfonietta orchestra) will be complete by April 2008

Kings Place

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and bar. Anchor tenant the Guardian is taking three floors, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and London Sinfonietta have signed up as resident orchestras.

At the heart of the artsorientated development will be a 420-seat concert hall, which will offer a range of music from classical jazz to world music, as well as teaching space, green rooms and a rehearsal suite. Kings Place will also accommodate a sculpture studio and three art galleries, two with a changing programme of exhibitions and a permanent collection of Borchard self portraits. Abigail Fallis will be the first artist in residence – her sculpture DNA DL90 will be given pride of place within the building.

The local community, particularly schools, will be encouraged to visit and get involved with the arts events through an outreach programme developed with the resident orchestras and sculptors.

25 project by project

Parabola Land’s innovative mixed-use development, Kings Place, will enjoy a prime location just 150m from the new international transport hub and next to the Regent’s Canal when it opens in 2008.

The seven-storey building, designed by Dixon Jones, will have a stunning rippling glass façade, with fantastic views out across the canal, and combine 26,000sq m of office space with a major new arts venue, conference facilities and waterside restaurants

Work to improve congestion and increase capacity at King’s Cross underground station has been going on since 2001. The station, which serves six of London’s 12 underground lines, currently has around 90,000 passengers at peak times. Add to this the arrival of the Eurostar and the completion of the highspeed rail link redevelopment and that number is set to rise to 147,000 by 2016, and there is an urgent need to cater for the significant increase in passengers.

The first phase of the £300 million remodelling was completed last year and included the refurbishment and enlargement of one ticket hall and construction of another, which doubled the size of the station. Work has already started on the second phase, which will include the creation of a northern ticket hall to serve passengers from the mainline stations at King’s Cross and St Pancras and the completion of TfL’s mission to provide step-free access to all tube stations by 2010.

The grade I listed façade will be restored as part of the development and five new station entrances, three new lifts and two new subways installed to improve accessibility. The southern concourse and canopy is to be replaced with a new

glazed western concourse facing St Pancras station. Strong emphasis is being placed on improving the public realm to allow easier pedestrian movement and a cycle park for 900 bikes will be created. The project is due for completion by 2011, in time for the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympic games.

King’s Cross underground Station

The first phase of the underground station’s £300 million redevelopment is complete

Markets

Camden by numbers 26

Fascinating facts and figures detailing Camden’s growing office, retail, leisure and residential markets

Demographics:

Camden is home to

Office rental prices in Holborn have more than doubled over the past three years, evidence that it is growing as the borough’s main office sector. In January this year, the Queensland Investment Corporation, one of Australia’s largest institutional fund managers, took space in Delancey’s Mid City Place on High Holborn, paying £60 per sq ft.

Holborn’s position, sandwiched between the West End and the city, has helped its popularity with businesses.

According to Charlie Killen of surveyor EA Shaw, “Just 15 years ago there were large vacancies in the office market. A large proportion of buildings were converted to residential use and hotels.” But since 1997, more than 20,000 people have come to work in and around the Holborn area.

However, Holborn can’t claim all the glory. Regents Quarter at King’s Cross, the LaSalle Investment Management development, will offer over 18,000sq m of office space.

Construction consultant EC Harris will occupy the five-storey Jahn Court, the largest of four office blocks at the scheme, for around £32.50 per sq ft.

Camden Lock, and the area along Regent’s Canal, is also

getting a boost to its office sector. The Guardian Newspaper, following in the footsteps of the British Transport Police, which moved there in 2005, is set to take space in the Kings Place development.

Retail and leisure One of the borough’s most famous attributes is the Camden Lock area, home to dozens of small independent traders and restaurants. Redeveloped in 1996 to allow more niche retailers and food sellers, the area is now set for further redevelopment.

Elsewhere in the borough, Procter Street has undergone major changes to become Holborn’s new high street. Bee Bee Developments refurbished the buildings on either side of the street to provide flexible retail units that now accommodate a cycle shop, gymnasium, and smaller shops and food outlets.

The slowdown in the office market in the 1990s meant that many of the borough’s office buildings were transformed into hotels. Camden now has more hotel bed spaces than any other borough outside Westminster, and this is set to increase with the new developments planned around King’s Cross. The former Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras Station, now >

220,700 people

21,000 bus inesses

150 theatres, museums and 400 hectares of parks and open spaces

27 markets

Offices

GLA’s London Plan population forecast projects Camden will have 231,000 residents by 2016 28

120 languages are spoken in the borough’s schools

250,000 passengers a day currently pass through King’s Cross. This will rise to

350,000 by 2011.

The borough of Camden has

renamed St Pancras Chambers, will contain a 245-bed fivestar hotel, while Argent’s King’s Cross Central development will include more than one hotel.

Residential “Residential property in the borough has been moving towards more mixed-use developments,” states Alistair Subba Row, partner with surveying firm Farebrother and former chairman of the Holborn Partnership. “There has been a notable increase in the number of dwellings, in private and social housing, which works well with the mixed use policy.”

Certainly, Camden has become one of London’s most sought after residential areas. Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog were evicted from their home last October to make way for more residential development, when the former home of Jim Henson’s muppet empire was acquired by London residential developer London Newcastle for £11.4 million.

The Camden Town warehouse, located at the junction of Oval Road and Gilbey’s Yard, is to be redeveloped into a residential scheme with 27,000sq ft of offices. The 76 flats will include 32 one-bedroom, 32 two-bedroom and 12 threebedroom apartments, of which 24 will be affordable homes.

But, by far the biggest change in the residential market will be in King’s Cross – the 27ha regeneration scheme behind Regent Quarter has boosted the area to such a degree that flats are currently selling for a top price of £600 per sq ft. ✤

of the UK’s largest railway stations – Euston, King’s Cross and St Pancras

Business Forum

studiotonne/zeegenrush.com

Together, stronger Local companies, big and small, have formed the King’s Cross Business Forum to ensure they all benefit from the area’s redevelopment.

John Windell reports >

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business forum

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The forum ensures that small businesses don’t feel they are being overtaken by what’s happening in the area

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A

s the physical and commercial landscape of King’s Cross continues to undergo its gradual transformation, and fascinating glimpses begin to emerge of what it will eventually look like, it would be all too easy to overlook the existing business community. Many of the new developments actively seek to woo businesses from outside the area, but what of those companies that have a long history in King’s Cross, or that have just put down roots and are working hard to establish themselves? Who is looking after their interests?

Camden Council says that as the ‘trickle down’ or ‘ripple’ effects aren’t enough when it comes to existing communities, be they social or business, it has called on a number of tried and trusted measures to ensure existing inhabitants get to enjoy all the economic benefits the developments will bring.

One of these was to set up the King’s Cross Business Forum in 2003. The fundamental role of the forum is to bring the local business community together, fostering a sense of local identity, representing their interests among the various stakeholders involved in the development and renewal of King’s Cross, and giving them a platform where their collective and individual voices can be heard. Its creation

signals a significant step, since no comparable body for business actually exists within the borough.

Financial support for the forum was secured from the London Development Agency (LDA) in 2004. It employs a coordinator and support staff, and in March 2007 had some 2,000 members. The practical services the forum can offer its members include business improvement seminars with a dedicated business broker, advice from a dedicated business regulations adviser, a regular programme of business support and networking events, access to the King’s Cross business directory, and frequent newsletters and e-bulletins.

The forum steering group is headed by members of the local business community. The chair is David Shapiro of local surveying firm Fresson & Tee, and the vice chair Maisie Rowe works in the area with leading architecture practice Thomas Heatherwick. Both are medium-sized businesses that have been around long enough to appreciate fully the impact the various developments are having on King’s Cross. And having local businesses drive the forum is very much the point, says Sandi Phillips, business initiatives manager at Camden Council. “We have never seen ourselves as an organisation funded through the LDA. Our remit is very much led by the businesses that come to us and ask us for help, with the long-term vision of joining the business community together, in a legacy of co-operation that will continue after the LDA funding finishes in 2009.”

As well as promoting businessto-business networking, the forum aims to improve the image of King’s Cross, and to encourage growth in visitor numbers and the business sector

Businesses come to the many events organised by the King’s Cross Business Forum to focus on the varying needs of business. Some of these events are generic, looking at issues such as business continuity (making sure that after 7/7 firms in King’s Cross have action plans in the event of an emergency), and some are specific to a geographical area or particular business sector. In both cases the forum has proved valuable when information has needed to be disseminated swiftly and effectively. “This is a key function,” says Phillips, “to act as a conduit in terms of working with the council and making information more accessible to local businesses about what services are available to them and what they need to act on.”

With everything that’s going on in King’s Cross, there is plenty to occupy the attention of local businesses, and the forum has been instrumental in getting them to focus on taking advantage of the opportunities that are going to arise. The arrival of Eurostar is a key example. It means the market for business and private visitors will be utterly transformed. A recent report compiled by the Central London Partnership examined the impact Eurostar will have on the area and zoomed in on a number of matters that have been overlooked by local businesses. Now, via the forum, businesses in the hospitality sector are looking at ways of boosting their profile and ensuring that they will be best placed to deal with the broad spectrum of >

David Shapiro is chair of the King’s Cross Business Forum.

He is a partner at Fresson & Tee, a firm of chartered surveyors which has worked in the local area for more than 50 years.

“The forum started life as a voice for the local business community in King’s Cross.

With all the developments going on in the area, this was a way for the existing businesses to promote themselves. It has evolved since then to offer a range of support services, but the basic aim is the same.

“We share information and views on what’s going on in the area, and we have online or in-person access to Camden Council, which is in turn feeding back business advice and advantages to us.

“Camden is keen to use the forum to promote commerce between the developers and the local business community.

There have been training sessions and seminars for this, and I suppose the forum has given us a foot in the door of the development structure.

“A lot of the development work is related to what Fresson & Tee do – surveying and project managing. But I got involved because I have an interest and

opinion on King’s Cross. I am genuinely interested in what is going on in the area and I want the opportunity to have a say in what is happening.

“There is a lot of optimism among certain groups, and pessimism among others. The optimists think it is going to improve the area and clean it up, and that it’ll be a great place to work, live and play.

The pessimists are concerned that rents and prices will increase and smaller business communities will get squeezed out.

I know the council is looking at ways they can address this.

“Working with the forum has been a positive experience. I think it does a good job, and I think that will continue. It brings businesses together, it creates communication and I think it has helped guide us all through a time of enormous change.”

Wellesley Road could become an attractive boulevard, with a new pedestrian walkway Wellesley Road could become an attractive boulevard, with a new pedestrian walkway

Marc Kennard runs Kennard’s Good Foods on Lamb’s Conduit Street. He has just joined the King’s Cross Business Forum as the representative of the Lamb’s Conduit Traders’ Association.

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area, but the creeping in of big names brings challlenges to independent traders. If we are part of the forum at least we are visible, and we can persuade other businesses and Camden to work with us to make sure we get the support we need to promote ourselves.

“But I feel very positive. There is an amazing feeling about what it will be like to have Eurostar here. Residents feel the area has been on the cusp of something for 20 years, and now there is genuine excitement. For traders this is brilliant. If over the next five years footfall does increase and more people move into the area, it will definitely be good for us.”

The business forum provides members with support, advice, information and a meeting point for developing ideas

33 business forum

“The attraction of the forum for me is the ability to coordinate our activities with other groups representing similar areas within Camden. It’s about being aware of what’s going on and working on joint promotions, because we are all vying for attention for our particular areas. If we can do it as a whole, that benefits us all.

“The subjects I feel we need to work on are how to promote the area, to increase footfall, and how businesses can be more environmentally friendly. I’m hoping the forum will be able to help coordinate best practice here.

“I also want to know what’s going on with the redevelopments from a retail perspective. Our street consists almost exclusively of independent retailers, and if we don’t work together we could quickly be dwarfed.

“The Brunswick has been good for this

Bringing together the local business community, the forum fosters a sense of local identity and provides a platform where their voices can be heard

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visitors Eurostar will bring. On a similar note, the forum was instrumental in establishing a brokerage service last year that means local firms get to bid for contracts, worth millions of pounds, on the King’s Cross development.

Support with day-to-day issues is equally important.

Instant assistance can be provided through the forum on any number of matters, for example, health and safety at work.

Tailor-made training programmes can also be drawn up to meet the needs of individual businesses. And nobody is too small to fall through the net. “We have some very large corporate businesses,” says Phillips, “and we have some very small businesses that provide everyday things for everyday people. An important role of the forum is to ensure these small businesses don’t feel they are being overtaken by what’s happening in the area.”

Most businesses are embracing the change and linking up with other companies to form their own individual trade associations to ensure they all pull together. But there are others that are less optimistic and require reassurance. This, says Phillips, is provided through constant dialogue, offering a platform where they can air their views, brokering effective relationships at the council, getting them involved in consultations, and keeping them fully up to date with what’s

happening with the developments. Taking this approach to its logical limit there is also an advisor who goes out on to the streets, visits businesses and talks with them about their concerns and any practical assistance they need.

Still, the King’s Cross Business Forum is evolving. As more and more initiatives are launched and more developers come into the area, there are more issues to react to. This adds to the pressure, and as Phillips says, “we realise that it can’t be all things to all businesses”. But for those businesses that are looking to their future in the context of the developments, the forum is a great meeting point where they can get the information and support they need to develop their ideas.

However, the LDA is not going to fund the forum forever, and work is now ongoing to find ways of supporting it once the funding ends. According to Phillips, forum businesses have so far been receptive to the embryonic ideas. The vision is that it will take on a life of its own, that it will continue to be business-led, that the council will provide the necessary administrative backing, and that it will remain clearly focused on helping local businesses to make a local impact. ✤

Noelle Vickers runs the Goodenough Club, a not-for-profit organisation that provides accommodation in the heart of Bloomsbury for visiting academics.

“In joining the forum, my hope was to generate some business for the club and to market it a bit more within the community. I’ve made good progress with that and certainly widened the name of the Goodenough Club and College.

“I also belong to a group called Cultural Bloomsbury, which is working within the forum to promote the area as a place of interest and develop a cohesive visitor strategy that is compatible with the local residents. What we are hoping to see from the relationship with the forum is more unification within the area, across all sectors, including the business, not-forprofit, and academic sectors.

“The benefits of the many developments are starting to show. There’s the redevelopment of the Brunswick, which has revolutionised the commercial offering available in this area. The arrival of Eurostar will be beneficial because it will bring more people and a lot more com-

merce into the area. The infrastructure is improving as well. St Pancras will be a fabulous station destination, and with the Argent development at the back it is going to be a very different King’s Cross.

“I think the forum has been very proactive in helping us make the most of all these opportunities. It gets itself out and about, actively promoting local businesses and helping them to cut through the red tape.

“It also recognises the social aspects of what’s going on. We have the Bloomsbury Festival, which attracts support from many directions, including the King’s Cross Business Forum. So there is that extra dimension. It’s primarily about business, but it doesn’t stop there.”

Heritage

Modern history 34

35 heritage

Are historic buildings an asset and a delight, a blight on regeneration, or a bit of both? It depends who’s asking, and, crucially, the location, says Pamela Buxton

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s Bob West, services manager in Camden Council’s planning department, says, were the grade I listed gothic St Pancras Chambers practically anywhere else, it wouldn’t have a hope of attracting investment. Instead, its great location next to the new Eurostar terminal means it is to be renovated, extended and given a fresh lease of life as an icon for the whole area.

And throughout Camden, a borough with more than 5,600 listed buildings and 39 conservation areas, the heritage issue in regeneration is particularly pertinent – especially when it comes to the revival of depressed areas such as King’s Cross.

Traditionally, listing has been seen by many owners and developers as a burden, and potentially one that might stand in the way of commercial enterprise.

“There are ups and downs,” adds West. “Historic buildings can be iconic and are important to the local community as part of their mental mapping… They do cost more to maintain and restore, are hard to adapt to modern standards and don’t have commercial layouts.”

Catherine Croft, director of the Twentieth Century Society, adds that while listing does depress market value, “it can be an asset to regeneration in that it can add variety to the cityscape and maintain a sense of memory”.

English Heritage (EH) argues that listed status needn’t

prohibit regeneration and their research shows that the average rentals achieved on listed buildings is higher than on non-listed. However, especially when the situation demands a creative re-use of the building, it may require a greater will to succeed than on more straightforward builds.

“To developers, listing is a shorthand for bad news but that is something we need to dispel,” says Zoe Croad, EH assistant team leader and inspector of historic buildings. “It is rarely the case that it’s impossible to find an accommodation for re-use. A lot more imagination is needed but you end up with something more special.” And the benefits go beyond the historic building itself. A successful restoration can have a knock-on effect on the surrounding area, if new development is handled sensitively, says Catherine Bond, acting conservation and urban design manager at Camden Council.

“Regeneration and heritage go hand in hand,” she adds.

Certainly some of the largest and most high-profile regeneration projects in the borough have historic buildings at their heart. Sure, the huge, £2 billion plus King’s Cross Central development for the railway lands beyond King’s Cross and St Pancras stations includes some 50 new buildings, 20 new streets, and 10 new major public spaces.

But developer Argent will also retain and refurbish 20 historic buildings and structures, and in doing so maintain buildings that are important both for their own historic merit, and for their role in maintaining a sense of place among so much redevelopment. After much controversy, the historic linked gas holder triplet frames on the King’s Cross Central site

>

St Pancras Chambers is one of London’s most iconic landmarks.

The former 19th century hotel is set to be restored to its former glory

by Manhattan Loft Corporation.

The development will provide a luxury hotel with a limited number of apartments for sale.

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Listed buildings are a real asset, adding variety to the cityscape and maintaining a sense of memory

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Above: The Roundhouse has been transformed into a fantastic music venue with state-of-the-art studios Top left: Argent’s King’s Cross Central development will incorporate the listed gas holders

built nowadays,” says Angus Boag, managing director of MLC. All 66 apartments, ranging in price from £400,000 to £1.25 million, have been sold off-plan ahead of completion in 2008 and 2009, with only the £10 million penthouse in the tower – which is not yet on the market – unsold. Although the five-star Renaissance Marriot hotel that will occupy the lower floors and new wing of the building doesn’t open until 2009, it has already received booking enquiries.

At St Pancras Chambers, despite its grade I listing, considerable changes are under way to suit the new use – part of a floor is being removed to create enough height for the upper loft apartments, as well as the new hotel wing.

MLC’s faith in the building – it won a competition for the conversion back in 1996 – followed many years of despair among fans of the building as it became obsolete during the 20th century, first as a hotel in the 1930s and then as offices in the 1980s. To make the £100 million refurbishment and extension project viable the company had to come up with a high-value use, with only a five-star hotel justifying the costs. “It didn’t have any land value,” says Boag, adding that the lavish size of the original hotel rooms were unsuitable for contemporary hotel needs. “We had to create the value by adding apartments and creating new rooms in an extension.”

Heritage buildings, with potential upkeep costs and conversion issues, are inevitably more susceptible than most to the moods and prosperity of the development market.

Fortunately, St Pancras Chambers’ listed status preserved it until the market was right. “In the 1970s and 80s, it looked like it had no economic future,” says Dungavell. “Who could

heritage

are being retained and incorporated within designs for housing, a restaurant and public use. Gas Holder no.8, which is being relocated next to it, will become a freestanding play facility.

Despite the rather awkward positioning on the site of the German Gymnasium building, built in 1864 and best known for its large vaulted space, Argent chose to retain and work around it because of its character. The building has now been renovated and is in temporary use as an HS1 visitors’ centre. And the Granary building is being considered by the University of Arts London as a new site for Central St Martin’s College of Art and Design.

On a slightly smaller scale, last year’s successful rebirth of the Roundhouse at Chalk Farm into a performing arts venue shows how clever design can both respect the original building and create facilities suitable for a contemporary arts venue. Once touted as a home for the Royal Institute of British Architects’ historic drawings collection, the building was eventually acquired by the Norman Trust which commissioned architect John McAslan and Partners to convert the former engine shed.

Already the effect on the area is noticeable, as the Roundhouse attracts more visitors up to Camden Town.

Nearby businesses such as Belgo, Sainsbury’s and Marine Ices have reported greatly increased takings. The new Roundhouse has also created 120 jobs in an area of higher than average unemployment in the borough.

Nearby at 176 Prince of Wales Road, a former Methodist chapel is being converted to an art gallery – also part of the knock on effect of the Roundhouse revival.

But the shining example of how a historic and architecturally significant building can become symbolic of the far broader regeneration of the area is undoubtedly St Pancras Chambers, currently being converted into loft apartments with a hotel extension by Manhattan Loft Corporation (MLC). Built in 1868-76 to designs by Sir George Gilbert Scott, it is, according to the Victorian Society, one of the best examples of 19th century gothic architecture in the UK, possibly in the world. “St Pancras Chambers is a prime example of how a building can define the character of the area,” says Victorian Society director Ian Dungavell.

MLC has already found the building’s architecture, along with the great location, an excellent selling point.

“It’s very much an asset, because you have very grand rooms, very high ceilings – the sort of spaces that aren’t

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gareth Gardner

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Major construction works are required to turn St Pancras Chambers into a 21st century hotel (left). The vast size of the original rooms (top) are no longer appropriate for contemporary hotel needs

have predicted that Eurostar would be coming? It was the right thing to keep it mothballed until an appropriate re-use came along.“ Heritage buildings aren’t just those from the 19th century and before. Regeneration in Camden will be dealing with notable 20th century buildings as more post-war buildings get listed status. The Brunswick, built in 1972, has recently been transformed in popularity following a £24 million refurbishment. But if it hadn’t been (grade II) listed, argues the Twentieth Century Society’s Catherine Croft, it would probably have been demolished before the market was right for its rehabilitation. The most vulnerable heritage buildings, she adds, are those that have fallen out of fashion but have yet to be rediscovered for their merits, such as Neave Brown’s redesigned Fleet Road housing built by Camden Council. Sometimes public affection for a distinctive building

can save the day – the grade II listed Kentish Town baths, known for their fine terracotta decoration, for example, became a local election issue and have now been allocated £25 million towards a refurbishment.

In many ways Camden is atypical because of its high land values, which mean that even the trickiest listed building may end up being converted to a new use. “It’s a bit distorted in central London. Heritage buildings have a head start if they have character. They’ll always have a value,” says Bob West.

The success of the Roundhouse and St Pancras Chambers also shows that architectural merit needn’t be a strait-jacket to change. After all, it’s in everyone’s interests that such buildings remain in use. “It’s a great myth that heritage people want to preserve everything in aspic. It’s always a trade-off,” says Dungavell. “Most people agree that a building without a use is a building without a future."✤

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After hours Camden’s legendary bars, clubs and restaurants are attracting both businesses and visitors in ever greater numbers

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eisure in the capital is a booming industry: it grew by nearly 30% between 1995 and 2001 and is projected to expand by another 26% over the next decade. London’s restaurants, bars and clubs draw visitors from across the country and overseas, enhancing its reputation as a major tourist destination and helping to underpin the capital’s creative industries.

And with improved transport, new retail quarters, and a restored gothic landmark, King’s Cross and Camden, already the hub of London’s out-of-hours life, are ideally placed at the heart of it. Sensing the changes in the area, savvy restaurant owners are already opening their doors. Two new stylish venues are winning plaudits not just for their food, but for their attention to the environment. Acorn House – named by Times restaurant critic Giles Coren as “the most important restaurant to open in London in the past 200 years“ – combines seasonal menus with a commitment to healthy eating and environmental responsibility. Like the Hoxton Apprentice and Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen, the restaurant will train 10 chefs a year, selected from the local area.

Around the corner, Konstam has also been in the limelight, partly for its amazing interior designed by Thomas Heatherwick, and partly for head chef/proprietor Oliver Rowe’s star turn as the subject of TV series Urban Chef, as he sourced food for the restaurant around greater London. Diners love the result. “It’s buzzing with intrigued punters,” said one critic.

King’s Cross may be a new destination for foodies, but the area is already well known to clubbers. Among the most popular clubs is The Cross, housed in seven brick arches beneath King’s Cross goods yard. On August bank holiday weekend, The Cross and the other clubs in the area team up for Cross Central, a huge clubbing fiesta whose reputation is starting to rival the Notting Hill Carnival.

These changes in King’s Cross are adding to the attraction of Camden to media companies. The borough has long been the favourite home of giants of the sector, such as Saatchi and Saatchi and MTV. But these days there are a staggering 300 creative and cultural organisations of all sizes within the King’s Cross area, and over 800 more on its fringes, ranging from architecture, contemporary arts and crafts and antiques, to advertising, publishing and performing arts.

The changes are proving tempting to developers, keen to tempt creative types to their mixed-use developments.

Targetfollow is currently upgrading the iconic Centre Point and surrounding area, and Stanhope is transforming the little loved Ministry of Defence complex at St Giles Court into restaurant, retail, community and business facilities, with the help of star architect Renzo Piano, designer of the planned Shard at London Bridge.

Camden Council is doing its bit to enhance the look and feel of the area. Its plan to create a pedestrian link between the British Museum and Covent Garden will be a huge boost to this part of the borough. “The whole area has a sense of opportunity,” says Kim Church of the Covent Garden

Camden Town’s varied pubs, bars and restaurants are vital to the borough’s economy.

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For more than 30 years, pubs and music venues in Camden Town have nurtured new musical talent and contributed to movements from punk to britpop

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Above: Acorn House Restaurant.

Business Forum. “The northern end of Covent Garden has long been a less attractive part of the borough.”

Holborn, now known in development circles as Mid Town, has seen a boom in the past few years, thanks to its position between the City and the West End. The growing business community in this area is being well catered for, with bars, restaurants and luxury hotels making their mark. The fivestar Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel has been showered with awards since it opened in 2001, and was quickly voted among the top five UK business hotels in the Readers’ Travel Awards. What’s more, its Pearl Restaurant has been a winner of best new restaurant at the Theme Awards. The hotel spa is also a draw. It has twice won “Best spa of the year” in the British Beauty Awards – little wonder when it offers a gold leafed relaxation room with individual music controls on therapeutic couches.

Camden has long had an international reputation as one of London’s liveliest boroughs. For more than 30 years, pubs and music venues in the Camden Town area have nurtured new musical talent and contributed to movements like punk, britpop and two tone. Generations have flocked to venues like the Roundhouse, Dingwalls, the Dublin Castle and the Jazz Café to hear top bands, often after spending a day browsing in the market stalls of Camden Lock or in the hundreds of independent shops packed with clothes, music, antiques and arts and crafts.

On a Saturday night, up to 15,000 people head for Camden Town to enjoy its 80 restaurants and cafes, 60 pubs and bars as well as its 12 music and entertainment venues.

There is plenty of celebrity spotting to be done at places like the Good Mixer, Hawley Arms or the Proud.

The local economy benefits from this influx to the tune

of about £30 a person on a Saturday night, which adds up to £22.5 million a year. The visitors drawn to Camden Town each weekend from across the country and across the world are part of a leisure boom in the capital that shows no sign of abating. The leisure industry is expected to expand by 25% in the next decade.

Camden’s bars and restaurants provide employment for around 1,400 people, and several eating and drinking venues have won accolades and awards, from the Camden Bar and Kitchen’s reputation for cocktails, to Gilgamesh’s status as Time Out best bar award for 2006, or Italian eatery, La Collina, best restaurant award (also Time Out).

But there is often a downside to areas with a booming evening economy, and Camden Town proved no exception to having to tackle problems of anti-social behaviour.

One solution has been to set up Camden Town Unlimited (CTU), a new business improvement district. “Everybody agreed that certain problems had to be solved,” says Alex

Above: Electric Proms at the Roundhouse.

Left: Booming nightlife on the banks of Regent’s Canal.

Proud, spokesman for CTU. Proud, who runs the successful eponymous local bar and gallery, says that the area’s night spots are increasingly targeting a more mature, upmarket crowd.

Changes in the mix of entertainment on offer as well as the food and drink are also drawing a wider range of people.

After 20 years in the dark, the Roundhouse has reopened as an arts space offering a mix of concerts and plays. “It has changed the entire atmosphere, particularly in the stretch between Camden Lock and Chalk Farm,” Proud reckons.

Over the years the borough and the Metropolitan Police have been working together to lower the crime rate and continue to change public perception of Camden as the location of slightly unsavoury activities. “The reality is that there is very little crime now,” Proud adds. But he is under no illusion that the battle is over. “We need to continue the process and continue the focus on drug dealing to ensure that it does not happen again.”

One of the key developments underpinning Camden Town’s turnaround has been co-operation between the different groups involved in the evening economy. This is not easy, given the wide spectrum of interests represented, but a collaborative spirit has extended across party lines.

Pub and bar operators have joined projects such as the Improving Camden Town Group, which brought together representatives from the council, local business and the police. Among the fruits of this collaboration was the Glitterball initiative, which has focused on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in Camden’s nightclubs. A radio system has been set up to link businesses, police officers and the CCTV service, providing a mechanism for passing on information.

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Camden local studies and archive centre

Left: Koko, formerly the Camden Palais.

Right: Mornington Crescent tube station, one of the borough’s vital public transport facilities.

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Licensees can help to minimise problems. This can include using experienced and well-trained door staff, designing out opportunities for crime within premises, training people serving alcohol, and notices and announcements for customers on issues such as leaving quietly and travelling home safely.

Improving the quality of the street environment is also important to changing the feel of the area. Money from the government’s Liveability Fund has improved public space in Inverness Street, Hawley Road, along Regents Canal and in the streets of Camden Town, among other areas in the borough.

For those who prefer their kicks in the fresh air, or just want a break from the buzz, Camden offers some of London’s finest open spaces. Regent’s Park, Primrose Hill and Hampstead Heath provide havens of tranquillity, and the Regent’s Canal offers wonderful cycling and walking routes. More hidden away are the 70 parks and open spaces run by Camden Council, from small neighbourhood playgrounds to grand city squares, or historic graveyards to allotments.

So, from Covent Garden to Kentish Town, with the new transport links, the hard work of chefs and barmen, and the commitment of the council, the borough’s status as spiritual heart of London’s good times seems assured. ✤

How to improve the evening economy n create family and child friendly centres n improve accessibility by delivering safe, affordable public transport at night

history King’s Cross Station Date: 1940s

n set higher customer care standards n make the public realm more welcoming and hospitable n use planning to reshape town centres n promote flexible hours and the multiple use of public buildings like libraries, galleries, museums and schools n extend shopping and other services into the night

Reg Hopkins, King’s Cross Voices www.kingscrossvoices.org.uk

Reg Hopkins, born in 1938, recalls his memories of King’s Cross station.

“It reminded me of a Turner painting. There was smoke and steam everywhere, great whooshes of steam would shoot forth. The station was so busy then as compared with now.

Today it is all commuters. I don’t say that it isn’t busy today, but then it was entirely different, you know...

“If you went over to platform one, where the cab rank is, there would be boxes and boxes of pigeons. They were racing pigeons. It probably was the East End where there was this tradition of pigeon racing so they would be taken to King’s Cross, loaded on the trains, off-loaded at Darlington, and fly back.

“And also the mail. It was very busy. Huge sacks of mail right the way along the platform. Trains would bring the mail in, the lorries would pick it up and return with more sacks, load the trains up and off they would go. It was an extremely busy station. It was the hustle and bustle that made it exciting. You felt a sense of living there.”

Connecting Camden’s business Major changes are happening in Camden and soon King’s Cross will be seen as a key destination for many commercial and domestic visitors to London. With the largest regeneration project in Europe and the arrival of Eurostar in November 2007 at St Pancras International – King’s Cross will soon become a major Gateway to Europe.

Funded by the London Development Agency, the King’s Cross Business Forum aims to connect local businesses, provide opportunities for growth and greater competitiveness and to impart information of key strategic importance.

With more than 2,000 local business representatives, the KXBF would like to invite you to engage with one of London’s most innovative networks and find out about the existing business-to-business prospects in the area.

For more information on joining KXBF contact the KXBF team on 020 7974 5906/5782/6019 [f] 020 7974 5714 [e] kxbf@camden.gov.uk [w] www.camden.gov.uk/kxbf London Borough of Camden, Business Initiatives, 7th Floor, Agyle Street, London WC1H 8EQ

Why become a member?

• Give your business a voice on local business issues • Free membership to the Camden Business Partnership of over 22,000 businesses • Quarterly invitations to high profile KXBF networking events • Inward investment advice • Access to local supply chain opportunities • Free professional assistance with local recruitment • Regular business-focused updates including advice on reducing your carbon footprint • Opportunities to market your business through the KXBF Business Directory • Access to a dedicated business advisor and free training through our business improvement seminars • Subsidised translation and interpreter services