196 – 228 York Way, Kings Cross London N7 9AZ.

In May 2003, Big Yellows Property Director, Phil Burks, Andrew Watson and I visited an existing wallpaper showroom and warehouse in Pentonville Road, Kings Cross. The area was high up on their list of priorities. Later that same day, we met Argent to discuss the possibility of a Big Yellow within their 67 acres of land holdings north of Kings Cross Central. Sadly, at the time Big Yellow did not fit in with their grand plan.  

In my view, over the past 15 years or more no other area in Central London has been transformed in such a spectacular way. The entire Kings Cross area has undergone an enormous amount of regeneration, which commenced with the opening of the Kings Cross St Pancras Eurostar terminal. Under Argents stewardship, the area has continued to evolve with planning approval granted in December 2006 for the construction of 8 million square feet of mixed use development, 3.4 million square feet of office accommodation together with approximately 1,900 new homes and 20 new streets and public spaces. A large amount of the proposed buildings are now complete. University of the Arts London have moved over 5,000 students into the scheme, whilst occupiers already either committed or in occupation include Google, Facebook, Waitrose, Tom Dixon, London Borough of Camden, The Ivy, German Gymnasium, Dishoom, Guardian Media Group, Argent Group, Louis Vuitton, PRS for Music, New Day and Havas.  The Thomas Heatherwick designed Coal Yard, a highend retail outlet is now fully open. 

The area is now drawing in an enormous number of visitors which has been massively improved given its rather colourful past history.

Big Yellow’s first feasibility for a property in York Way came several years later in February 2008 when David Potter sent me the details of a possible site adjacent to the defunct York Road station.  In January 2009, the current site at Fayers Plumbers Merchants became the focus of Big Yellow’s attention although it wasn’t until October 2015 that the company acquired the freehold. The property transaction subsequently included a complex land swap and collaboration agreement which took a while to complete. The land around the site of the new store had been previously used as cattle pens, supplying the war effort, a soap works, abattoir, catering, tenement properties, van and motor body manufacturers and then ice cream equipment engineering works. Fayers relocated to a property further down York Way.

After many different scheme reiterations and significant pre application discussions, the building design for what became known as Plan A, was submitted to Islington Planning Department in July 2018. Following an unsuccessful planning appeal, Plan B for a modified design and smaller building was subsequently discussed with the planning officers. Over 60 different configurations have been considered during design development.

Plan C application was submitted on 8th July 2020. This scheme provided for the demolition of the existing buildings and construction of part-5 and part-7 self-storage facility with double basement including flexi offices, car and cycle parking within a self contained undercroft service yard. A resolution to grant consent was obtained at Committee on 1st October 2020.

The Kings Cross store is probably the most ambitious, new build project to date as it includes numerous logistical challenges, namely - temporary supporting structures for neighbouring properties, demolition and site wide remediation, double basement plus seven storey brick clad elevations with sprinklers and smoke ventilation installations, green roof to improve bio diversity and provide new habitat, underground stormwater attenuation tanks, roof mounted solar pv array, electrical vehicle chargers and upgrades to the public realm. All of which is made doubly challenging given our commitment to hand back an adjoining piece of land to our neighbour in a super quick timeframe.

Once complete the store will provide approximately 103,000 sq ft MLA self storage plus 3,800 sq ft of flexi office space and 6,200 sq ft wine storage.

The project team comprises

Architect – Mountford Pigott
Structural, Geo Environmental and Civil Engineer – Campbell Reith
Construction Project Manager – Stace
QS – Stace 
M&E Services – Silcock Dawson