The Future of Euston

 

 

2013 update

All previous plans for the future of Euston Station have been superseded by the plans now being drawn up by High Speed Two. It is in charge of the creation of a expanded high speed rail route from London to Glasgow. Many aspects of the currently proposed route are highly controversial, but the scheme does include the rebuilding of Euston station and thus offer an opportunity for the reconstruction of the Arch as the gateway to the new station. HS2 is producing a master plan with ARUP Associates, while Camden Council - the relevant local authority - is independently producing its own master plan for the Euston area. It is likely to be over a year before these plans will be available for public scrutiny and consultation. The EAT is currently in conversation with both HS2 and Camden Council about its proposals to include the reconstructed Arch in the master plans.



In light of High Speed Two and other developments, the proposals below are either re-opened for discussion, or are no longer relevant. The latter will be moved into an archive shortly.

Our Proposal

Since the original site of the Euston Arch is now deep within Euston Station, the Trust has proposed a new site for the rebuilt Arch. This new location is on axis with the Arch's original position and has the advantage of being already vacant. The rebuilt Arch would fit neatly between two stone lodges on Euston Road, which survive from the old station.

Externally, the Euston Arch will look much as it did before it was demolished. The rebuilt Arch will incorporate as much of the original stone as possible, at least 60% of which is believed to survive. Inside, a more pragmatic approach can be taken, with the use of a modern structural frame. The Trust has collaborated with the engineer Alan Baxter on detailed plans that demonstrate how the Arch can accommodate twenty-first century requirements without compromising its outward appearance.

The Arch is big enough to accommodate two large rooms, one in the roofspace and another in a basement beneath the Arch. These spaces could be let in order to help pay the cost of construction, estimated at £10 million. Possible uses include a banqueting room at the top and a nightclub in the basement. There is also room for two lifts and a staircase within the sides of the Arch, allowing full disabled access.

Comment from the Daily Telegraph: Beating the arch-vandals

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Why rebuild the Arch?

Download architectural plans:

  • Location plan (pdf)
  • Basement plan (pdf)
  • Ground floor plan (pdf)
  • Upper floor plan (pdf)

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    Network Rail plans

    In 2005 Network Rail announced that it intended to redevelop Euston Station. The sheer size of the complex, the untapped retail, housing and office space available and the blight the current station inflicts on the local area make it a prime candidate for redevelopment. In total it is estimated the redevelopment will open up around 2.5 million sq ft of mixed-use development.

    Network Rail considered several proposals. All aimed to make fuller use of the space the station occupies, to better integrate it with the local area and provide the station with a more prominent frontage, the current station being hidden from the Euston Road by the 1970s office blocks managed by Sydney & London Properties (see below).

    In 2007, Network Rail chose British Land as their preferred developer. It was announced that improvements to passenger facilities would be funded by unlocking the commercial potential of the site. The number of platforms may increase from 18 to 21. There has also been some discussion that the newly redeveloped station may form the terminus for a new high speed railway connecting London with the Midlands, the North and Scotland.

    In 2008, two architectural practices were appointed to take the design forward. Allies and Morrison were named as masterplan architects, whilst Foreign Office Architects were given responsibility for the station itself. Detailed plans for the new station from Network Rail are eagerly anticipated. Artists' impressions of what a new station might look like were released in 2007:

    Further details:

    Network Rail’s announcement: [external link]

    British Land’s press release: [external link]

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    Sydney & London plans

    Sydney & London Properties manages the four large office blocks in front of the present station. They have proposed a comprehensive redevelopment encompassing both the station and their own property. This would provide new retail, office and residential accommodation as well as a new station that is visible from Euston Road. In conjunction with their vision for a new Euston, Sydney & London have entered the debate about the Euston Arch by producing a Euston Arch Discussion Document, which includes proposals to rebuild the Euston Arch in the same position favoured by the Euston Arch Trust:

    Further information about Sydney & London's plans: [external link]

    Article about their Euston Arch Discussion Document in the Camden Gazette: [external link]

     

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    Terry Farrell masterplan

    Architect Terry Farrell's visionary masterplan for the future of Marylebone and Euston Roads foresees the route's transformation into one of London's greatest assets - a grand boulevard with vibrant street life, major squares and green spaces. The plan was first developed in 2002, before the Trust was relaunched, so does not include the Arch, though Farrell now supports its return.

    The redevelopment of Euston will be part of the area's growth, which is estimated to be around 25% of the proposed growth opportunities in central London. The Euston Arch, at the heart of a rejuvenated Euston Square, could form a central part of this.

    Further details can be found at:

    http://www.terryfarrell.co.uk/#/project/0701/

     

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