Knowledge Quarter: Report of the Public Realm Charrette

Report of The Public Realm Charrette: Phoenix Road and Randell’s Road

The Knowledge Quarter is pleased to announce the release of the Public Realm Charrette report, taking a closer look at Phoenix Road and Randell’s Road in King’s Cross.

Executive Summary

Following the audits in Spring 2016 which looked at the quality of the public realm of all the streets and roads in the Knowledge Quarter area, two streets, Phoenix Road and Randell’s Road, were chosen as the subject of two charrettes which were held on the 20th and 21st September 2016. The two streets were felt to offer contrasting opportunities but were linked by the prospect of significant change in the future both to the streets themselves and the surrounding area.

Phoenix Road

Phoenix Road already has a clear role at the heart of the Somerstown area with many residents and amenities with both its shops and its community facilities. The street is well used including by people walking between the mainline stations. At the same time, there is an opportunity to improve its role further. It was seen as having a poor frontage to the street on the northern side, a large green space that has little connection to the street, excess carriageway which prioritises vehicles rather than people and an opportunity to make more of the presence of the local pub and the shopping parade.

Randell’s Road

The current role of the street is largely industrial and carriageway dominates the overall space. There are relatively few pedestrians and fewer residents and they pick their way along narrow pavements before attempting to cross the heavily trafficked and fast moving York Way. The street has little relationship with the large residential areas of private housing and estates that stretch east towards the Caledonian Road and Islington beyond.

Click here to download and read the full report.

Date: August 2017