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The programme has been
completed on time and within budget
The redeveloped Goods Street
Out and about
The King’s Cross station development has been the catalyst for one of the largest regeneration schemes in Europe, which will see 67 acres of brownfi eld land turned into a desirable place to live, work and spend leisure time.
About the author
Rob Shepherd Rob Shepherd is a freelance journalist and regular contributor to ECA Today. He has worked in the electrical contracting industry for more than 12 years.
The German Gymnasium – This purpose-built gym from 1865 was open to men and women. Located next to St Pancras International, it acts as a gateway to King’s Cross. The Great Northern Hotel – This disused Grade II Listed former railway hotel has an arcade that will draw pedestrians from the Euston Road and the new King’s Cross Western Concourse into King’s Cross Central. Granary Square – A world class public space, with stunning pavilion buildings, dramatic fountains and the fl exibility to hold activities and events. Goods Street – One of 20 new streets within the development, including offi ces, shops, housing, hotel and educational establishments. Pancras Square – Playful water features, outdoor terrace seating, bars, cafes and restaurants, lead to an all glass bridge over the Regent’s Canal. The Boulevard – A shopping street with generous pavements and food and drink outlets. Cubitt Park – A high quality green space framed by tree planting, which is suitable for a range of informal recreational activities and larger events. Coal Drops Yard – Home to 80 shops, restaurants, galleries and visitor venues. Fish and Coal Offi ces – The original administration building for the Goods Yard complex, it is being re-used for new cultural, visitor and other attractions. Gasholder Number 8 – Formerly part of the major Imperial Gas Works complex. To be dismantled, refurbished and relocated by Regent’s Canal as an adventure park with a viewing platform. Gasholder Triplet –The Listed gasholder guide frames are to be re-erected close to Regent’s Canal, framing new residential fl ats, with a courtyard garden, aerial walkway, a top fl oor restaurant and ground fl oor retail space.
With the London Underground beneath, King’s Cross station is a key transport hub
NG Bailey had up to 250 operatives on site at any one time, and asked what was the most demanding aspect of the project, Grainger replies: ‘Without doubt it was the critical asset diversions. We were responsible for identifying and relocating the station’s critical assets to enable the construction work to commence. This included the diversion of hundreds of assets including CCTV cameras, PA speakers, gate lines, customer help points, fi re alarms panels, emergency lighting central battery systems, radio systems – all whilst ensuring the undisrupted running of the station.’
Heritage trail
The main feature of the new Western Concourse is its 20m high semi-circular roof, which is supported on 16 steel ‘tree form’ columns radiating from a central funnel. Despite having such a modern design, achieving a complementary mix of old and new throughout Kings Cross was a top priority. ‘The full refurbishment of a listed Victorian building within the budgetary, structural and heritage constraints, proved a real challenge,’ refl ects Grainger. The Western Range Buildings are part of the station’s original Victorian façade. With all works strictly controlled by English Heritage, VINCI and NG Bailey had to fi nd solutions that would not compromise the fabric of the building. Simon Jenks, VINCI Construction’s project director, comments: ‘We had to preserve the heritage interest and appearance of key station features, while also creating a stunning and highly modern transport environment.’ This was achieved in part by the use of modular wiring systems that were manufactured and configured off- site. NG Bailey also worked with the distribution board manufacturer to pre-wire the boards off-site so that they
40 ECA Today September 2012
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