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1-3 Canal Street © Miller Hare
1-3 Canal Street © Miller Hare
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28 April 2009 - Back
Green light for green building at King's Cross Central
Mixed-use building secures reserved matters approval.1-3 Canal Street will house the site-wide Energy Centre, providing sustainable heating to homes and businesses on King’s Cross Central and generating power too.
Europe’s largest city centre development is on site and in business, with more plots expected to go forward for reserved matters approval soon.
Detailed plans to build 1-3 Canal Street at King’s Cross Central have been given the green light. The building, designed by Niall McLaughlin, will provide the site-wide Energy Centre. It will also include 102 homes, a multi-use games area, cafes and bars and a multi-storey car park.
1-3 Canal Street follows other significant plots on site securing reserved matters approval, such as 1 Goods Street, where J Sainsbury is expected to move its UK Store Support Centre, and the Eastern Goods Yard, which from 2011 will be home to 4,500 staff and students from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. Work is now underway on site to ensure the Energy Centre is ready in time for the UAL move to King’s Cross Central.
The approval of the detailed plans for 1-3 Canal Street means that King’s Cross Central is on track to be one of the greenest developments in the UK. The long-term target is to cut carbon emissions by at least 60% relative to 2000 levels by 2050 through energy-efficient building design, the application of Combined Heat and Power and the provision of on-site renewables, all connected to site-wide heat and power distribution networks. The investment in a district heating network, in particular, will help to ‘future proof’ the development and provide the means to achieve this challenging target.
The Combined Heat and Power plant will meet the majority of the development’s heating and power demand. The Energy Centre will also house a primary electrical substation.
Robert Evans, Director Argent (King’s Cross) Ltd, the Asset and Development Manager of King’s Cross Central, said:
"We are delighted that the Council voted unanimously to approve our detailed plans for 1-3 Canal Street. The decision recognises that this scheme plays a pivotal role in the emerging King's Cross Central development; will deliver a high quality building appropriate to its prominent location; and represents an exemplar of sustainability."
Niall McLaughlin, of Niall McLaughlin Architects, said:
"Our principal concern has been to make successful new public places in this emerging area of London. We have designed residential squares, canal-side café terraces, roof gardens and balconies looking over the old Gasholders and the spires of St. Pancras International. This is just one part of a really interesting emerging urban quarter. We believe that the unanimous support of the Council reflects the high quality of this environment."
Cllr Keith Moffitt, Leader of Camden Council, said:
"We welcome the continued commitment to helping create a sustainable future environment for King's Cross. The new energy centre will play a key role in the overall development, bringing to life our shared vision of jobs, housing, leisure and community facilities for local people in King's Cross."
The 67 acre King’s Cross Central is being developed by the King's Cross Central Limited Partnership, a joint venture between Argent, London & Continental Railways and DHL Supply Chain, and over the next 15 years the area is being transformed. Outline planning permission has been granted for a development of nearly 8 million sq ft. The outline permission includes up to 2,000 new homes, 20 new streets, 10 new major public spaces and the restoration of 20 historic buildings and structures which are to be retained and refurbished.
As buildings come forward their detailed designs are submitted for reserved matters approval by Camden Council.
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