Planning permission granted to King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership as part of area’s wider redevelopment

Planning permission has been granted for Camden Council’s contact centre and office accommodation, a new two-pool public sports centre, and a public library at King’s Cross.

The application was submitted by King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership (KCCLP), and the new sustainable building will be part of the wider development at Pancras Square, which includes new shops, leisure facilities and open spaces.

Councillor Theo Blackwell, cabinet member for finance, Camden Council said: “For more than two decades the Council has driven the regeneration of King’s Cross. With this new building we will be an active and permanent part of it, linking the largest inner-city development in Western Europe with residents in the rest of the borough. 

“The new building will provide new public services for local residents and save in excess of £77m which would otherwise be bled from other budgets to refurbish and maintain existing public buildings.”

The facility will be paid for through the sale or termination of leases at seven existing buildings, and through savings on running costs.

King’s Cross is one of the largest developments of its kind in Europe, and will deliver up to 2,000 new homes, 3.4m sq ft net of office space and 500,000sq ft of retail space.

The 67-acre site will ultimately provide 20 new streets and 10 major public spaces. Twenty historic buildings and structures are being restored and refurbished.

Building work on-site is due to start early next year, with completion scheduled for summer 2014.