Last month, the King’s Cross Group, which owns the neighbouring 27ha King’s Cross estate, confirmed it would be bringing forward ‘updated proposals’ after renewing its strategic partnership with North London Foundation Trust (NLFT) to acquire part of the hospital plot.
The group, formerly known as the King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership (KCCLP), has retained Related Argent as development manager on the major development, which includes new health facilities alongside new homes, offices, cafés and public spaces.
However, Peter Barber Architects and Architecture 00 have not been kept on for the project.
Instead, the AJ understands Maccreanor Lavington and AHMM have been brought on board to work on the residential and office elements respectively, alongside a new, but as-yet-unnamed, masterplanner.
The scheme will sit next to the nearly complete £300 million Oriel eye hospital, designed by Penoyre & Prasad and White Arkitekter just north of St Pancras station.
KCCLP originally chose Peter Barber Architects and Architecture 00 from nine local or emerging firms, following an AJ-organised contest and charrette in 2022.
The developer worked with the AJ to produce a diverse longlist of practices, which included up-and-coming stars as well as talented studios skilled at working on schemes driven by sustainability, wellbeing and community inclusivity.
This longlist was then whittled down to a nine-strong shortlist (see below), all of whom were invited to a day-long charrette. Five of the practices were asked to look at early concepts for a residential building, while four were given the brief for a workspace block.
Following the event, the nine firms were invited to develop their proposals into design submissions and were given a more detailed design brief as well as the opportunity to meet the teams at the local council, Related Argent and pension giant AustralianSuper, which owns around a 70 per cent stake in the King’s Cross Group.
Peter Barber Architects was subsequently picked to design an eight-storey, two-block housing on Plot C, while Architecture 00 was asked to draw up proposals for the 21-storey commercial building on Plot D.
The architects took their schemes through a series of public consultations in 2023 but neither was ultimately submitted for planning.
Architecture 00 co-founder and director David Saxby said: ‘We understand that priorities change, particularly in the current economic climate, and as such wish the NLFT well in their attempts to unlock the value of this key asset.’
He added: ‘While disappointed that we won’t be seeing our design built, ultimately we simply remain grateful to the AJ for initiating the charette that led to this opportunity to demonstrate how our architectural preoccupations scale up in a larger scheme, and for us to develop further detailed strategies for delivering environmentally exemplary workspaces.
‘We are confident that these won’t be wasted.’
St Pancras Hospital site. Photo: Jason Hawkes
According to the King’s Cross Group, the renewed acquisition agreement marks an ‘important first step’ in its growth beyond the existing King’s Cross estate, ‘expanding its role as a long-term steward of the area and a creator of places that deliver lasting community benefit’.
As part of the deal, the NLFT will retain the south wing of the hospital so that healthcare services can remain in place for local service users and patients.
The King’s Cross Group said the wider scheme aimed to ‘unlock the full potential’ of the St Pancras Hospital site for the local community and would include housing, public spaces and offices.
Engagement on these new proposals with stakeholders and the community is expected to start early this year.
King’s Cross Group chief executive Leo Shapland said: ‘In the months ahead, we will share updated plans that build on this renewed partnership with NLFT, and we look forward to engaging with the community and other decision makers to unlock the potential of this important site for generations to come.’
North London NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Jinjer Kandola added: ‘This agreement marks an important next step for the St Pancras Hospital site. The programme has already allowed us to transform NHS mental health facilities in north London at Lowther Road Holloway and in Highgate. Our agreement with the King’s Cross Group will unlock further investment funding.’
The previous proposals for the St Pancras hospital site, which went out to consultation in 2023. The Architecture 00 office tower is pictured top right, with the Peter Barber Architects’ housing block below
Practices shortlisted for AJ-organised charrette in 2022
Residential
- Peter Barber Architects
- pH+
- KAEBCA (Kristofer Adelaide Architecture, EBBA Architects and Cairn)
- Bureau de change
- Mole
Commercial
- Architecture 00
- Gort Scott
- Studio multi
- HNNA