LCA’s longest
running client has been Argent, along with landowners
London and Continental Railways (LCR) and DHL Logistics
(formerly Exel), on the regeneration of the 67 acre
King’s Cross Central site.
Just after LCA was set up in autumn 1999, LCR and
Exel announced a shortlist of three development partners
from which they would select one to work with them
to deliver KXC. Argent, along with St George,
appointed LCA to help the team pitch and win the project – which
they did in March 2000.
Over the next seven years LCA has acted as Argent’s
PR and public affairs advisers. In the early
years this work included help preparing and launching
three consultation documents Principles for a Human
City (July 2001), Parameters for Regeneration (January
2002) and a Framework for Regeneration (October 2002). These
sought to explain clearly to everyone interested in
KXC what Argent’s vision would be, what could
and could not be done on the site and what the overall
approach would be.
LCA then managed the announcement of the submission
of the planning applications for the site (May 2004)
and the submission of the revised planning applications
in September 2005, and finally the decision by Camden
Council in March 2006 to grant outline planning permission
for the scheme. LCA planned and executed extensive
media relations campaigns, generating coverage in over
30 publications from the Financial Times and Sunday
Telegraph, to Property Week and Regeneration and Renewal,
as well as radio and TV coverage.
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Both
the Mayor of London and Office of Deputy Prime Minister
(now Department of Communities and Local Government)
gave King’s Cross Central the green light. There
was then a Judicial Review of the borough’s decision
which was thrown out by the High Court in June 2007. Later
in 2007 Sainsbury’s announced the decision to
move their HQ to King’s Cross, and Central St
Martin’s, part of the University of Arts London,
is also moving to the site.
LCA continues to be retained as a core part of Argent’s
team on the marketing of the site and PR around the
development of detailed planning applications.
Roger Madelin, Chief Executive of Argent (King’s
Cross) Ltd said 'working with the media must always be
better than attempting to dictate to them. LCA is knowledgeable,
respected and most of all a great team player. They help
us and help the media to get the results we both require.
They are good fun as well!' |
