Having travelled on the bus past King’s Cross on very many occasions, I can only say my heart lifted when, at last, evidence of its renaissance began to materialise.

It’s surely a unique and exciting challenge to put together a project as enormous and impactful as this. It hits many buttons – strategic place, infrastructure, heritage, economic benefit; we could go on… King’s Cross is in anyone’s books a very spectacular and special piece of real estate!

Of course there’s a possibility that it will somehow miss on that vital community connection; but only if people on all sides of the equation let it. This is where civic and corporate leadership have such a critical part to play, right from day one.

Canary Wharf is different. Just for a start, it’s not at the heart of what’s to become the most important international ‘green’ hub connecting the UK and mainland Europe, and for another thing it is a glass and concrete creation with not too much reference to a long and glorious heritage.

Here’s a genuine opportunity to build on a very high profile USP with loads of promise for all stakeholders.

Of course there are those who oppose what’s happening. The financial and other costs of the debate with them may well be high, but in the end everyone has to be heard for progress to be made in a well-founded way. The line must be drawn somewhere, but the views of those with reservations are valuable because they help to pinpoint potential hazards further down that line.

But it’s up to everyone to make sure that King’s Cross WORKS. Here is a serious commonality of interest between developers, the wider economic infrastructure and real people on whom the project impacts day by day.

Having seen examples elsewhere of exiting programmes based with various degrees of success in challenging locations, I’d say everyone, but everyone, involved has to ask, what more might I need to be doing to make King’s Cross fulfil its whole potential?

The first rule must be, listen, seek to understand and where possible accommodate all stakeholders. And the second rule is, always remember someone has to be brave and take the lead, accountably and visibly.

This is not a time for pursuing plans regardless, or for heads-in-the-sand-style denial of problems; but nor, most certainly, is it a time for standing back. King’s Cross is an opportunity which comes only very rarely…. Here’s a genuinely future-facing adventure which everyone in town can share and actually see taking shape.

I watch from my bus as things come together week by week and I wish all involved the very best.

Hilary Burrage is a consultant in strategic policy.

www.hilaryburrage.com
www.linkedin.com/in/hilaryburrage