One of Europe’s largest regeneration projects, this neighbourhood is a part of the brand new 67-acre redevelopment site and is referred to by locals as King’s Cross. Bordered by King’s Cross - St. Pancras stations in the south and York Way on the eastern end, the area merges into bustling Camden in the north. Despite the site’s former industrial purpose, it is now a vibrant, affluent area, and home to Granary Square, a section of Regent’s Canal, Central Saint Martins, the Royal College of Fashion, as well as major offices like those of Louis Vuitton and Google. Beyond the area’s lively centre and new high-rise tower blocks, much of the neighbourhood remains industrial, with many warehouse buildings still awaiting their promised transformation. Upcoming changes aside, the area is already home to both King’s Cross and St.Pancras stations, making it a major local but also international transport hub. Seeing what King’s Cross is on its way to become, it’s shocking to realise that as of 2011, the area’s population consisted of only seven residents! While the development is yet to be completed, King’s Cross is on track to become one of London’s most dynamic and desirable new neighbourhoods.

With Roman origins, it is believed that King’s Cross, whose name derives from a statue of George IV at the Battle Bridge crossroads, served as a crossing point over the River Fleet. In AD 597, a group of monks from Rome arrived carrying the relics of the Christian martyr Saint Pancras, and founded a congregation on what is now the site of St Pancras Old Church. After a short period of popularity, the church fell out of favour with pilgrims in the area, leaving the neighbourhood to remain predominantly rural.2 Eventually though, the completion of The New Road, today’s Euston Road, in the late 18th century jump started development of the area. This development led to the completion of the Regent’s Canal in 1820, and the establishment of the London terminus of the Great Northern Railway in 1852 which then brought rapid industrialization to the area. Although the neighbourhood continued to grow as train travel increased, its important role as a transport site made it a significant target for the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. This threat caused the transport of freight by rail to go into speedy decline, turning what was once a poor but busy area into an abandoned post-industrial neighbourhood and notorious red-light district. With this decline, the relatively cheap rent attracted young people to the area, and over time, they repurposed the large disused buildings. Throughout the 1990s, the area saw an increase in government funded regeneration projects, with the renovation of the train stations and introduction of the Eurostar spurring its transformation into the area we know today.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the area’s run down and seedy character made it a desirable location for artists who were drawn to the cheap rents and interesting characters. Many creatives, such as Anthony Gormley and Thomas Heatherwick, made the area their home. Mike Owen also opened a photography studio in the area in the 1990s which drew in numerous celebrities, such as Tilda Swinton, Kate Moss, Joan Collins and Simon Le Bon, who all wanted to be photographed in Owen’s King’s Cross studio.

The area of King’s Cross is known by history buffs as the site of the battle between Boudica and the occupying Roman forces in AD 60 or 61.5 Many believe that the body of Boudica is buried beneath platforms 9 and 10 of King’s Cross Station.

Considering that the nearest coastline is almost 40 miles away, it’s comical that an entirely unnecessary lighthouse sits atop a large Victorian building in the area. Now derelict, the lighthouse occupies the junction between Gray’s Inn Road, Pentonville Road, York Way and Euston Road and although no one really knows its origin, it’s widely believed that it was once an advertisement for an oyster bar that stood beneath it.

King’s Cross station is home to the shortest lift journey in London, covering a distance of only 2 metres. While smoking on the Underground now seems totally alien, it was in fact permitted until 1984 when it was banned on trains and platforms following a fire at Oxford Circus. However, smoking was not outlawed on exit escalators until 3 years later, when a tragic fire broke out at King’s Cross station. It is believed that a passenger dropped a lit match from a cigarette beneath a wooden escalator, which later spread to a tunnel ceiling that had layers of old flammable paint. The fire killed 31 people and led to hugely improved safety standards for all tube stations

As of 2022 the 67-acre regeneration of this postcode is not yet complete. Still, the area is unrecognisable compared to just a couple of years ago with a plethora of ambitious developments transforming the neighbourhood since 2011. Over 2,000 new homes have been built around a new retail and commercial centre, going a long way to fulfil the council’s initial commitments when this postcode was initially singled out for development. The sleek commercial and retail hub that is beginning to emerge around St Pancras Square is a highlight, as are the memorable Gasholders, which have been converted into modern apartments while maintaining their iconic shape.

The most significant development looking forward will be the new Google HQ which is planned to open in 2024. The development will sit on the long slender site between King’s Cross Station and the aforementioned St Pancras Square. The office floors will accommodate 4,500 employees, gym and pool, a multi-use games area, and an events centre. At roof level, landscaped terraces and a walking ‘Trim Track’ will provide outdoor amenity and recreation space for office workers and their visitors. The Cadence development on Lewis Cubbitt Walk is also a notable upcoming addition, reaching 15 storeys at its highest point and comprising 163 new homes.