Kings Cross Local Environment

Camden and Islington to share chief executive

An interesting development in the tale of one King's Cross, two councils — now we're set to have one chief executive. Could this signal the beginning of some genuinely co-ordinated working that benefits all of King's Cross equally? Look forward to seeing some more details — especially the salary framework.

The news comes via an exclusive from the Camden New Journal on Twitter prior to press tomorrow: www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2010/sep/exclusive-camden-and-islington-councils-share-chief-executive

Clare Hill

Kings Cross blitz anniversary

Kings Cross got its fair share of bombing in the second world war.  On the 70th anniversary of the blitz i thought it worth re-running a piece from 2008 on mapping the blitz in Kings Cross. If you are reading this in say the Guardian building, look North over the canal and the 1940s and 1950s social housing opposite (whose light you are stealing BTW) is built on a site of two V1 flying bombs landing with yards of each other.

In the original post i said:

It makes it easy to see what influenced the pattern of post war social housing.  Some terraced streets were replaced in a hurry by estates like Tiber Gardens and the old Naish Court.  Other areas were either patched up or limped on as bombsites until the 1970s. 

It starts to be clear that it wasn't just the 1960s and 70s town planners who demolished the grid pattern - some streets were bombed out of existance, possibly with heavy loss of life.  Two flying bombs landing within 500 yards of each other (the circles in the picture above) might well make you want to start again. 

There are some fascinating memories in the comments on the original post - if you have any more memories or can ask an elderly relative who was here at the time please comment below or drop me a line.  If you woudl like to see the bomb damage maps they are on display at the Metropolitan Archive - if you take a digital camera you can take photos of them.

Kings Place Building Festival - September 9 to 12

As King's Place is has a prominent place in our local area the Bulletin Board felt that it would be worthwile in promoting the following up coming event that will be taking place from 9 to 12 September.

Welcome to the third annual Kings Place Festival - a dazzling array of 100 performances over four days. It will give you a taste of the fantastic variety of events this unique venue offers, with its eclectic approach to programming of the highest quality.

Kings Place Festival 2010 is a showcase for the new season, bringing you the very best in classical, contemporary and experimental music, jazz and blues, folk, spoken word and comedy.

You can LISTEN to their Festival Podcast that features interviews with John Crampton, Lore Lixenberg and Phil Venables.

With 45 minute concert tickets for just £4.50 - plus many FREE events - the Festival is a great weekend's entertainment, and it really does offer something for everyone.

The carnival atmosphere carries through to the Festival food and drink - this year will see the launch of Rotunda's Food Market. The Food Market will run from the 10th September to 12th September from 11am in the morning to 7pm at night. The stalls will be situated along the picturesque Battlebridge Basin, which creates the perfect backdrop for your enjoyment. There will be a wonderful mix of stalls, from fresh fruit & vegetables, great breads and confectionary to beef and lamb from our own farm in Northumberland.

The Food Market will show case some of the finest food and drink that King's Places serves with pride in the Rotunda and throughout Green & Fortune. All the stalls are either part of King's Place or run their carefully chosen suppliers that they rust and proudly work alongside.

SOME OF STALLS NOT TO BE MISSED:

• RHODES BAKERY - SPECILAITY BREADS
• SWIG - WINE MERCHANT
• AFLORUM FLORIST - LOCAL FLORIST
• WATTS FARM - FRUIT & VEG
• HUMBERS HOMEMADE - HOMEMADE JAM, CHUTNEYS, MARMALADES & PICKLES
• GREEN & FORTUNE CAKES & PASTRIES
• BUTCHER - Using meat from our farm in Matfen
• SPIT ROAST

...and of course you can pay a visit to the two art and sculpture galleries that will be exhibiting sculpture from David Bailey and William Pye and art by Anthony Wishaw. At concert level you can find out more about the recent Cape Farewell expedition via photography and video installations.

Multi-buy Offers: Book tickets and save money
NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE

To receive the multi-buy offers detailed below, please contact the box office on 020 7520 1490. The discount will be offered on the online price.
3+ events save 10%
6+ events saves 15%
10+ events save 20%
The same number of tickets must be booked for each event to qualify for the discount.

Kings Cross Station - tube strike

It's often hard to make out what is going on in an industrial dispute.  By the time you get to a strike there have already been hundreds of hours of negotiation.  The traditional media adopts a bored indifference and it's quite tricky to drill down to what the participants see as the issues first hand.

At the station for an early train today and i managed to snap these leaflets from the picket line to give one side of the story and found a link to a TfL statement giving their side of the story. Also TfL's strike information page for travellers is here.

I am not looking to kick off a debate in the comments on the merits of strikes etc  - just trying to make some direct information available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BAM construction noise on Kings Cross railway lands

BAM are engaged in some noisy demolition work on the Eastern edge of the railway lands alongside York Way.  This noise can affect people living on York Way and further afield - at least one person has contacted me through the website for advice on complaining after problems last Saturday.

It's important to know your rights: you don't have to sit there with fingers in your ears - the Noise Abatement Society has a lovely guide to noise pollution in plain English.

Argent are the property devleopers - their construction helpline is 0800 328 8840 so call that.  Also try calling BAM's regional office (gets you a layer above the site management) Try Ray Ellis BAM Regional Director (020) 7374 3646 he is responsible for work going on in London.  The noise is made in Camden (the borough boundary runs up the middle of York Way) so also try their environmental services team it's their job to clamp down on people who break the law with excessive noise at anti-social times.

95 Caledonian Road - more trouble in the conservation area

Neighbour Tony sends in more bad news about this new kebab shop at 95 Caledonian Road:

The council has put a notice around about an application by the owners to:

"permit the provision of late night refreshment (between) 23.00 and 01.00 on Sundays to Thursdays and 23.00 and 04.00 on Fridays and Saturdays".

The reference is WK/201008963 and the application is being dealt with by Katie Tomashevski, Licensing Team, Public Protection, 222 Upper Street, London N1 1XR. Objections have to be made before 23rd September - you can email [email protected] quoting the reference number.
 
This is a daft place to have a late opening kebab shop with garish signage in a conservation area in a row of houses. All the reasons for objecting to the Kebab shop in York Way apply but more so as this cafe is located in a residential area, there is no local need so a late night kebab shop will only cause nuisance to residents.

There are plenty of late night eateries within a short walk around King's Cross station so another one is completely unnecessary.

2b York Way - Planning Application P100224: Illuminated Signage, Take-Away, Late Night Trading

Folks the following request for support was just received from one of our neighbours in Regent's Quarter Sean M.  This is a long-standing problem which we have written about previously and it again requires community action if we are going to have any control about our local environment.  Please support Sean's request:

Hi neighbours,

You can help! (And it won't take long)

I doubt anyone reading this wants to discourage local business and people making a living. However, what I believe we also want are businesses that act responsibly and do not have a negative impact on the rest of the community.

Passing the grot spot of McDonalds corner last Thursday at around 23:00 we witnessed a couple of street drinkers on the pavement and two guys doing a deal by the adult book store - how will another late-night take-away help deal with this?

Given that this has been dragging on for nearly a year, I wanted to bring you up to date on the application for a change of use by the Kebab shop at 2 York Way. (Next to McD's)

Licensing was granted to the former leaseholders of the premises for use as a cafe - Cafe Sorisso which I don't think anybody objected to, with trading permitted until 23.00. The kebab shop took over the lease and has been trading in takeaway foods even though the license does not permit this and have also been flagrantly ignoring the restriction to cease trading at 23.00.

It also installed ugly, illuminated signage in a conservation area which we have managed to get switched off.

The kebab shop has applied to the council for a change of use and have repeatedly submitted incomplete or incorrect documentation. This has prolonged the time they have why they try and 'regularise' their unapproved trading. However the council have now finally received all the required paperwork and have set a deadline decision date of 12 October.

We're running out of time to object! If you haven't already done so, can you please submit an objection to: [email protected]

The grounds that we have objected to are set out below and may help if you feel the same way:

a) Illuminated signs are not in keeping with the character of the building or the adjoining frontages on York Way and will have an adverse impact on the adjacent conservation area.

b) Any changes in Class of Usage, (to takeaway hot foods) will result in high incidence of litter, detritus and encourage people to eat foods in open space, outside doorways of residential accommodation on York Way thereby reducing the amenity of local residents; and will diminish the quality of public realm on York Way and by creating a poor quality of environment adjacent to the Regent's Quarter and in the vicinity of Kings Cross station and the proposed station square.

c) The proposed hours of operation will cause disturbance late at night to nearby residential neighbours from arrival and departure of customers.

d) Inadequate venting of food cooking, particularly fried and grilled meats will cause nuisance and loss of amenity.

Full details of the Planning Application P100224 can be seen here.

Black History Month hits KX

 

 

We have been sent details from Voluntary Action Islington about  Black History Month 2010, but nothing yet from Camden. If anyone has info about events on the Camden side of KX, please contact us asap so that we can help spread the word!

 

 

Filthy streets - Randell's Road, Rufford Street, Vibart walk

Neighbour Stuart has been having a crazy exchange over a couple of weeks with Contact Islington trying to get Rufford Street swept properly (I own a flat there).  It looks like it's finally had a sweep but neighbouring street such as Randell's Road are a disgrace.  The standard of street sweeping monitoring in this and surrounding streets is poor. We know from recently released data that Islington can get over 200 complaints about refuse collection per month.

 

Rufford Street has an outbreak of graffiti on the rear and side of the old Paget Centre

 

 

 

Vibart Walk is also a disgrace.  What's going on with the street cleaning services?

Copenhagen Street to be closed for two weeks at York Way - let's keep the zebra

  Contracters BAM working on the Kings Cross railway lands are to close Copenhagen Street at York Way for about two weeks from 8 September (date corrected).  They are building a junction with the new road running across the railway lands site and need to install traffic lights, islands etc.  The new lights won't be in operation until the university opens next Autumn.  There will be a diversion signed from Caledonian Road to Brewery Road. 

I rang the contracters to ensure that they will maintain the zebra crossing at this spot where it is tricky to cross the road.  They listened but couldn't commit.  I think it's important to do so - quick downhill southbound traffic turning left is blind to people crossing Copenhagen Street.  Camden is co-ordinating liasion with both local authorities, they talk to Barry Lucas in Islington.  It will be confusing for traffic and pedestrians to have two types of crossing at the same spot for a year - we seem to be cursed with temporary crossings in Kings Cross. 

The temporary traffic lights here are already causing havoc for buses and cars.  No doubt the utilities will be digging up the road again soon.  That's regeneration folks.