Integrated regeneration plans
Regeneration and economic development were vital components of the high-speed link from the start – from the derelict rail yards around St Pancras and King’s Cross stations, to economically deprived areas of east London and north Kent and the poorly connected rural areas beyond. The approach to regeneration was all-encompassing, involving new ways of working with local communities, new approaches to placemaking and funding development, and some of the most high-profile civic restoration projects in recent history.
The decision to integrate domestic high-speed services within HS1 was central to this broader perspective. The route entered London from the east through an area of north Kent that, by the 1990s, was blighted by high unemployment, largely due to the decline of heavy industries. This belt of communities had already been identified as a key focus of the Thames Gateway, a multi-billion-pound, government-backed plan for the massive redevelopment of both banks of the Thames east of London.
For London, the HS1 project came at an interesting time. Its population was growing for the first time since the post-war decline. A boom in financial services had led to the redevelopment of the Isle of Dogs as Canary Wharf, a second banking quarter in the east of the city. The centrepiece of this plan would be the redeveloped St Pancras, originally opened in 1868 and in a poor state of decline. This in turn would spearhead the regeneration of 27ha of contaminated railway land and car breakers’ yards immediately to the north of St Pancras and King’s Cross. By bringing an international dimension to the area, turning it into an accessible regional hub for European companies, the St Pancras redevelopment was the ideal springboard for this wider vision.
More than 15 years on from the completion of the line, what are the main lessons we can take away from the development of High Speed 1 and its stations from an urban planning and regeneration perspective?
1. More than a railway mindset from the outset
The shift in thinking from high-speed rail as ‘just a rail line’ to a major economic growth corridor changed how we think about the role of rail infrastructure in the UK and the catalytic impact it can have on economic growth and urban transformation. Arup introduced a ‘place-based’ approach to decision making for HS1 which won the argument with Government. This meant every decision that was taken from a route, station and design perspective was tested in terms of its ability to deliver the wider place-based outcomes. This is evident in the level of growth around stations at Kings Cross/St Pancras and Stratford where major new urban districts have been delivered which have created enormous economic value for the UK.
At King’s Cross – between 2010 and 2021 the number of firms based in the area doubled, jobs increased from 8,000 to just under 30,000 and new industries in the knowledge, creative and technology sectors have clustered and commercial values are some of the highest in central London. Investment in the public realm has created new public spaces and facilities for visitors and the surrounding community. This has been achieved through a partnership between the public and private sector but all enabled by making the right planning and design choices for the high-speed line from the outset. Without construction of the station at St Pancras and the reorientation of station entrances and passenger circulation to open up the railway lands to the rear, this scale of development would not have happened. This required an integrated approach to the design of the railway infrastructure with the master planning of surrounding neighbourhoods.
2. Governance and delivery structures for development and regeneration
The delivery of High Speed 1 required its own delivery structure reflecting the way in which the project was funded and delivered. This approach extended to consideration of development potential around the two stations at King’s Cross/St Pancras and Stratford where specific delivery structures were established in parallel to ensure the development of the surrounding area took place and in a way that was aligned with the aspirations of the local authorities and local communities. This required a different approach in each station location based on an assessment of the underlying economic conditions; the extent of market failure that existed; infrastructure needs/costs and the expectations of the local authorities and communities. At King’s Cross this included a development partnership with developer Argent to lead the development of publicly acquired land and at Stratford the establishment of a public sector-led development corporation to lead the development of the area including plans for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.