Local charity, King's Cross Commnunity Projects submitted it's response to Network Rail's pre-planning application consultation today saying the design is "drab" and "unimaginative". KCCP has called on Network Rail to scrap the current design and undertake a fast participative process with the local community to produce a better result.
In particular KCCP is unhappy with the lack of green space, lack of a sense of identity, need for public art, provision for cyclists, lack of a water feature and harsh paving. The group is however happy that the barriers and sheep pens are to be removed from the west end of the space as they have at the eastern end.
The full KCCP response to Network Rail can be downloaded as a pdf here
Great positive and constructive response Sophie. I do hope the decision makers open their minds to what we are ALL saying rather than feeling the need to defend the original plan. After all, they are designing the space for the community and transport users.
Final plans just submitted- looks like a slight improvement:
“The new design by architects Stanton Williams incorporates more trees than the original and a combination of traditional Yorkstone and granite paving. To complement the University of the Arts London moving into King’s Cross, an area suitable for displaying large-scale art installations has also been identified.”
http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=6330&NewsAreaID=2