A Space for us in this place…
Somers Town sits between King’s Cross and Euston and is part of Knowledge Quarter, a cultural area; yet it is one of the most deprived wards in Camden, with around 70% of residents living in socially rented homes.
The cumulative development around King’s Cross and Euston over the last two decades, including the King’s Cross Central regeneration and works for HS2 at Euston, has generated significant negative impacts on the local residents in and around Somers Town. It has been compared to social cleansing and there has been a loss of social housing and community assets.
Current changes in Euston are about to displace the remaining social housing estates, north of the station.
Housing context
The built environment is a mix of pre-1919 terraces, post-war estates, and modern residential developments. Notable municipal housing — such as the Ossulston Estate (1927–31), inspired by Viennese public housing design — remains central to the area’s architectural identity.
Socio-economic
Somers Town is ranked among the top 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England.34.4% of residents experience income deprivation, markedly higher than borough averages; around 61.2% of ward residents live in social housing (combined council and other social rented share of adults lack higher qualifications; broader area analyses suggest education and skills deprivation remains above London averages.
- Median household income locally is significantly lower than the Camden average; figures
- High economic inactivity: Approximately 44.3% of working-age adults are economically inactive, compared with ~31.9% in the wider borough. camden.moderngov.co.uk
- A considerable share of residents receive out-of-work benefits: around 29.9% of working-age adults are on out-of-work benefits, and 20.1% are on incapacity or related support
Planning contexts
Somers Town sits in planning contexts that have impacts – the London Plan and Camden Local Plan, as well as Euston Area Plan. These guide planning applications and development decisions. The planned HS2 terminus and associated reconfiguration of Euston station are significant planning influences adjacent to Somers Town. These projects affect land use, construction management planning, transport connectivity, and community mitigation strategies.
Somers Town lies within the broader “Knowledge Quarter” — an innovation district including institutions such as the British Library and the Francis Crick Institute — this creates a juxtaposition between historic working-class neighbourhoods and the needs of internationally recognised research and cultural assets.
Current Plan contexts
Management of the land around Euston Station is to be handed over to a Camden Council led development corporation to drive regeneration of the area.
Somers Town is currently devising its own Neighbourhood Plan; A Space for us sits as permanent member on the Forum and is leading the Heritage Sub-group.
City Hall is publishing a draft London Plan.Just Space is publishing an Alternative London Plan
‘Londoners are impatient for change in response to the multiple crises affecting us, from climate change and environmental breakdown to mounting inequality and a catastrophic housing system. Community groups have been working on an alternative centred on the idea of the Caring City, in many ways the opposite of what we have seen in past plans.’
- Just Space https://justspace.org.uk/
Impacts on Local Residents and Social Cleansing
The major redevelopments, while bringing luxury housing, new commercial spaces, and promising improved transport links, have disproportionately burdened the existing, long-standing, and largely socially-deprived community of Somers Town. This is often framed as a process of state-led gentrification or “social cleansing,” where the benefits are primarily for newcomers and commuters, while the environmental costs are borne by the original residents, who worry about insecure tenancies and decanting, as has already happened on the West side of Euston, as a result of HS2 works
- Loss of Homes and Displacement: Local residents have been displaced from their homes, leading to the breaking up of established communities and the loss of valued connections with family, neighbours and local amenities. This has been described as devastating for many, especially vulnerable elderly people.
- Loss of Social Housing: While the King’s Cross Central development included some social housing units, the overall proportion of affordable homes was a point of intense contention and was later reduced from the original commitment. Furthermore, the allocation criteria for the new social housing were heavily restrictive, effectively excluding some of the most vulnerable people on the housing list, such as those with a history of mental illness or rent-related debt, leading to accusations of social engineering. Separately, other regeneration schemes in the area have also involved the demolition of council estates and the loss of social housing units. Increasingly, the housing provision converts into luxury temporary residences, such as AirBNB and student accommodation, constituencies attracted by proximity to central London.
- Environmental and Health Deterioration: Residents report a “storm” of negative environmental impacts due to the sustained and cumulative construction work, which has now gone on over several decades:
- Air Pollution: Damaging deterioration of air quality, with EU health standards reportedly infringed.
- Loss of Green Space: The decline and loss of local open green spaces given over to the building of a luxury tower block, plus some affordable and some social housing, and the felling of mature trees, which previously acted as “green lungs” and provided necessary “breathing spaces.”
- Noise and Dust Pollution: Long-term disruption to everyday life from construction noise, dust, and light pollution.
- Increased danger in streets from the regular use of Lorrie’s to transport building debris.
- Mental and Physical Health: These impacts—loss of homes and green spaces, coupled with pollution and disruption—have been linked to serious depression, anxiety, stress, fear, despair, and hopelessness among residents. Physical health issues, such as the exacerbation of respiratory conditions, are also reported due to the air quality.
- Loss of Amenity and Inconvenience: Building works and changes to rights of way have made the area an “obstacle course” and a “battlefield,” creating difficulties for navigation, especially for the elderly and disabled. There have also been problems with vermin attributed to the construction.
- Unequal Burdens and Benefits: There is a strong sense that the burdens (pollution, disruption, housing pressure) fall unfairly on existing local residents, particularly the elderly and children, while the benefits (luxury housing, high-value office space, improved transport) are primarily for those living and working outside the area.
Redevelopment Context and Community Investment
Despite the heavy negative consequences, the developments are driven by attempts at broader regeneration and community benefit schemes:
- New Infrastructure and Economy: The King’s Cross Central scheme has transformed a brownfield site into aneconomic hub, bringing new office space (e.g., Google headquarters, Camden Council offices), new, mainly private homes, high end retail, and public open spaces in a privately managed development. Similarly, the Euston Area Plan aims to deliver new homes, businesses, and improved public realm works.
- Community Investment Programs: Camden Council’s Community Investment Programme (CIP) and other initiatives in Central Somers Town haveprovided somenew community facilities, a rebuilt primary school, and a number of new council homes.
- Job and Training Opportunities: A key objective of the development plans is to secure local employment, apprenticeships, and training opportunities for local residents to take advantage of the new jobs created by the development in relation to construction and digital economy
However, many residents remain concerned that these efforts do not sufficiently mitigate the massive negative effects and the fundamental changes to the social character of the area.
These developments have not given any priority to local voice and the question of heritage and rather regard the area as a blank slate to be reinvented according to the schemes of developers. This lack of interest in historical precedent, custom, current lives increases the sense of insecurity and alienation felt by many who inhabit the are. Despite or because of various consultations (which have not brought about desired changes), it is felt that what people have experienced is overlooked and what they want in the future is not going to be delivered.
Sources
King’s Cross social housing in CNJ
Profit and Somers Town loss
Protecting the community’s cultural heritage is vital
Euston people need somewhere to live not plans for a soulless plaza
Dsdha.co.uk/projects/central-somers-town
Fran Heron in Camden New Journal
Our-area-wrecked-by-a-symbol-of-greed