Context 163 - March 2020

C O N T E X T 1 6 3 : M A R C H 2 0 2 0 37 CLAIRE BRADY A heritage partnership agreement for King’s Cross Station The legal agreement between the building’s owner and the local authority sets out routine works that can take place on a regular basis without the need to apply for listed building consent. At the end of May a heritage partnership agree- ment was ceremoniously signed at King’s Cross Station with Historic England, Network Rail and Camden Council, watched over by heritage minister Michael Ellis. This was a watershed moment for all parties as the agreement will help to ensure the efficient future management of the nationally significant site by streamlining the formal listed building consent process. King’s Cross station, designed by Lewis Cubitt, was built between 1851 and 1852 as the London terminus of the Great Northern Railway. The station’s simple, powerful design is defined by the pair of rounded arches and central Italianate clocktower. In contrast with its neighbour, St Pancras, King’s Cross’s design purity was much admired by modernists a century later.The building has been listed at the highest grade (Grade I) since 1954 as a reflec- tion of its remarkable engineering, architectural and railway historical interest. As the station has grown and expanded over time, a number of changes have been made incrementally. The most regrettable of these, perhaps, was the large and incongruous green canopy at the southern end of the building, which was used as a temporary concourse area for around 40 years, blocking the view of the distinctive facade. By the early 2000s it was clear that the station was no longer fit for purpose. It had become cramped and inefficient, while the building itself was falling into disrepair and many of its beautiful architectural features had been obscured by layers of later development. The station needed a major programme of restoration and reordering. An inspiring restoration programme was completed in 2012 to plans by architects John McAslan + Partners, which various colleagues at Historic England and the London Borough of Camden had a key role in shaping. The project proved that heritage and busy infrastructure can be entwined and that through close partnership working, expertise and a pas- sion for our heritage, exceptional places can be shaped for everyone to enjoy. A strong working relationship between Historic England, the council, Network Rail and their consultants was fundamental to every stage of the project. The result is a beautifully restored and repaired historic railway station, an efficient and welcom- ing 21st-century transport hub and a visitor destination in its own right. The scheme has won over 30 awards, including the EU Prize for Cultural Heritage (2013), the CivicTrust AABC conservation award and the Mayor’s Award and Best Project Five Years On at the London Planning Awards (2018). The success of the project meant that discus- sions began early about how best to capture a record of the repairs and techniques used throughout the restoration. All parties were also keen to ensure that the significant historic parts of the station, and high-quality new elements, were safeguarded into the future. A heritage partnership agreement (HPA) was chosen as the best mechanism for this. Introduced in 2013 as a result of reform powers A view of King’s Cross station from the top floor of the Northumberland Hotel. The station has since undergone a major extension and restoration (Photo: Historic England)