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By RICHARD OSLEY
 
Argent sew up King's Cross redevelopment

Objectors fail to halt controversial £2bn project

DEVELOPERS Argent Limited looked to have clinched the redevelopment of King’s Cross – despite a last-gasp appeal to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.
Objectors to the £2 billion overhaul had hoped to evoke a rarely-used planning law to force a public inquiry.
But the Government Office for London – regional advisers to Mr Prescott – have told interested parties that it will not be recommending further action and is not interested in calling in the scheme for extra scrutiny.
A decision had been delayed as protesters deluged the GOL with objections and called on the Deputy Prime Minister to dig up Article 14 of a Town and Country Planning Order from 1995.
The clause gives Mr Prescott the power to intervene when applications have a national importance.
Campaign groups such as the King’s Cross Railway Lands Group (KXRLG) are amongst objectors who claim Argent’s plans for the area are a perfect example of where the rule should be used. A series of written protests argued that the blueprint for the 67 acre site was too big for Camden Council to handle and that councillors had signed off a project that failed to maximise the opportunity for low cost housing when they agreed the designs last month.
The GOL letter, understood to have been sent to the Town Hall and Argent, however, firmly indicated that the government is happy with the application as it stands.
It said: “Having carefully considered all the matters set out, together with all the representations received by the Government Office for London or ministers and those sent to Camden Council, and having regard to the policy on call in, ministers have concluded that intervention would not be justified.
“Ministers are satisfied that there is insufficient conflict with national planning policies on the above matters or any other sufficient reason to warrant calling in the application.”
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has already given his blessing to the scheme – even though Islington Council has yet to deliberate on part of the project that crosses the border. Councillors will discuss the applications at a planning meeting on Tuesday.
Argent can begin work on the site as early as next year.
Chief executive Roger Madelin told a council planning meeting last month that his company had found the right balance for a “sustainable community” in the new look King’s Cross.
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