Islington Kings Cross: Urban Design Framework

Socio-economic context
The study area is located within the London borough of Islington, located within the north of
central London. Islington is bordered to the west by the borough of Camden - the study area
runs along this boundary.
Islington is the second smallest borough in London. Inhabitants of the borough are diverse and
varied, with regards to socio-economic indicators such as employment, education and
ethnicity. There is considerable wealth divide between the post-war social housing estates
and the professional classes that occupy the terraced housing located mostly to the east of
Caledonian Road, in the neighbouring Banbury Ward.
The borough is the sixth most deprived in London and the fifty-third most deprived in England.
In terms of income deprivation, Islington is the most deprived in London. Consequently, an
average of 70% of monthly wages are spent on rent.
This inequality is compounded in the Bemerton Estate, a post war social housing project that
spans most of the northern part of the study site. The estate was constructed after many
historic industrial uses were ended following WW2. The estate contrasts starkly against the
gentrified terraces to the east, the office hub surrounding Kings Cross to the south and the
numerous luxury high rise projects to the north of Kings Cross, across the border in
neighbouring Camden.
Source: ONS, Islington Borough Ward Profiles.
“The Caledonian Road has always been a firebreak: a dividing line between a fitful
affluence to the east and the consistent deprivation to the west.” (The Secret
History of Our Streets: Caledonian Road, BBC, 2012).
8Analysis
This actors map illustrates
the spectrum of
stakeholders looking to
shape the future of the
study area.
The concentric lines
indicate the distance of the
actor from the study area,
whereas red and green lines
indicate positive and
negative relationships
between stakeholders,
respectively.
STILL NEED TO DO THIS!
- 120
120 - 180
180 - 220
220 +
Population Density
(people per hectare)
The map demonstrates that
the densest location in the
study area is the Bemerton
Estate. Elsewhere, density
levels tend to be at a
reasonable level for an innercity
location. The areas of the
map displaying the least
density are either largely office
focussed or dominated by nonresidential
uses.
£300,000 - £400,000
£400,000 - £500,000
£500,000 - £600,000
£600,000 +
Median Residential
Property Value
Residential property is
generally more expensive to
the south of the site, closer to
significant
amenity
infrastructure such as Kings
Cross and other city centre
features. There is a diversity in
quality of residential
accomodation but property
prices are notably lower
amongst the Council owned
and former social housing
estates towards the north of
the site.
Venerable pensioners
Students and young professionals
Venerable Communities
Consumer Venerability
The consumer vulnerability
map identifies the
predominant category of
residents within residential
areas. It shows that the
residential properties to the
north of the canal are still
occupied by venerable
residents, especially within
the housing estates in the
interior of the site. The area
marked as largely
pensioners correlates with
the location of the Harry
Weston housing cooperative
housing
association.
Source: CDRC Maps (https://maps.cdrc.ac.uk/)