?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Respecting+the+Railwaylands%3A+KXCAAC+reconsiders+Kings+Cross+Central&rft.creator=Kings+Cross+Conservation+Area+Advisory+Committee+(KXCAAC)&rft.description=From+our+earliest+comments%2C+KCAAC+has+demonstrated+its%0D%0Aenthusiasm+for+the+principle+of+the+regeneration+of+this+site+made%0D%0Apossible+by+the+Argent+development.%0D%0AKXCAAC+is+however+disappointed+that+following+the+initial%0D%0Aconsultation+exercise+ending+in+October+2004%2C+in+which+we+and+so%0D%0Amany+other+bodies+expressed+concern+about+the+glorious+industrial%0D%0Aheritage+of+the+Railways+Lands%2C+so+little+note+had+been+taken+in+the%0D%0Arevised+proposals.+Indeed%2C+much+practical+and+informed+advice%0D%0Ahas+been+wholly+ignored.%0D%0AKXCAAC+is+concerned+that+the+unique+heritage+of+this+site%2C+which%0D%0Adespite+the+ravages+of+time+and+the+recent+CTRL+works%2C+is+still+so%0D%0Amuch+intact%2C+stands+to+be+severely+compromised+and+damaged+by%0D%0Athe+Argent+proposals.%0D%0AKXCAAC+is+convinced+that+without+affecting+the+commercial%0D%0Aviability+of+the+site%2C+the+heritage+buildings+can+be+preserved+and%0D%0Aenhanced%2C+as+called+for+in+the+Planning+Brief.+Indeed+we+believe%0D%0Athat%2C+as+has+been+demonstrated+in+P%26+O%E2%80%99s+Regent+Quarter+site+at%0D%0AKings+Cross%2C+the+heritage+can+make+a+major+positive+contribution+to%0D%0Athe+economic+viability+of+the+scheme.%0D%0AIn+our+submission+we+seek+to+demonstrate%2C+by+citing+historical+and%0D%0Arecent+precedent%2C+and+by+practical+sketch+ideas%2C+how+this+synthesis%0D%0Aof+new+development+with+the+heritage+might+be+achieved+in%0D%0Athoroughly+modern+and+contemporary+conservation+approach.%0D%0AArgent+have+sought+to+make+a+success+of+this+scheme+by%0D%0Aproposing+a+greatly+over-scaled+and+mediocre+environment%2C%0D%0Aindistinguishable+from+large+developments+elsewhere.+We+argue%0D%0Athat+as+much%2C+indeed+much+more%2C+may+be+gained+by+less%0D%0Adevelopment+of+a+higher+quality.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn+particular+we+demonstrate+that%2C+contrary+to+Argent%E2%80%99s+insistence%2C%0D%0Athe+Culross+and+Stanley+Buildings+can+be+retained+without+any%0D%0Areduction+in+the+social+or+commercial+appeal+or+viability+of+the%0D%0Anorthern+part+of+the+site.%0D%0AKXCAAC+calls+for+a+much+more+rigorous+interpretation+of+the%0D%0APlanning+Brief+in+the+treatment+of+the+Canal%2C+which+risks+having%0D%0Aboth+its+industrial+heritage%2C+and+its+secluded+and+unique+character%0D%0Aseriously+damaged+by+Argent%E2%80%99s+proposals+to+open+it+up+as%0D%0Aperipheral+public+space+to+their+development%2C+and+to+greatly%0D%0Aovershadow+it+with+large+buildings+to+the+south.+Its+role+as+a%0D%0Avaluable+natural+habitat+would+be+unsustainable.%0D%0AWe+also+call+for+a+more+learned+and+sympathetic+approach+to+the%0D%0Aconservation+of+the+Granary+and+other+buildings+to+the+north+of+the%0D%0Asite%2C+a+unique+record+of+the+industrial+and+transport+heritage%2C+where%0D%0AArgent%E2%80%99s+insensitive+planning+and+excessive+scale+constitute+a%0D%0Atragically+missed+opportunity+to+create+a+really+high-quality+urban%0D%0Aenvironment%2C+a+community+truly+integrated+into+the+surrounding%0D%0Adistricts.%0D%0AWe+also+demonstrate+an+innovative+and+truly+sensitive+conservation%0D%0Aapproach+to+the+reinstatement+of+the+gasholders%2C+citing+an+example%0D%0Afrom+Dublin.%0D%0AArgent%E2%80%99s+submission%2C+comprising+many+bulky+documents%2C+purports%0D%0Ato+be+thorough+and+methodical+in+its+approach%3B+sadly+we+believe%0D%0Athat+much+of+it+is+little+more+than+empty+presentation%2C+and%0D%0Amisleading+and+irrelevant+evidence.%0D%0AKXCAAC+is+most+certainly+not+against+development+of+the+Railway%0D%0ALands%2C+but+does+not+believe+it+should+be+achieved+at+any+cost.%0D%0AThe+right+scheme+needs+the+right+approach%2C+and+we+would%0D%0Aencourage+the+Planning+Committee+to+reject+these+proposals%0D%0Ato+allow+more+sensitive+consideration%2C+which+will+serve+the%0D%0Alocal+community+past+and+future%2C+and+for+generations+to+come.&rft.publisher=Kings+Cross+Conservation+Area+Advisory+Committee+(KXCAAC)&rft.date=2005-11&rft.type=Report&rft.language=eng&rft.source=++++Kings+Cross+Conservation+Area+Advisory+Committee+(KXCAAC)%3A+London%2C+UK.+++++&rft.format=text&rft.identifier=https%3A%2F%2Fdiscovery.ucl.ac.uk%2Fid%2Feprint%2F10206612%2F1%2FRespectingKXCAACreport2005.pdf&rft.identifier=https%3A%2F%2Fdiscovery.ucl.ac.uk%2Fid%2Feprint%2F10206612%2F&rft.rights=open