T H E G R E E N L I G H T F O R A V I TA L N E W S TAT I O N

BRENT CROSS CRICKLE WOOD THAMESLINK STATION BUSINESS CASE

LONDON, UK
The projected increase in Londons
population means that housing and
infrastructure development must be
delivered effectively and sustainably.
Brent Cross Cricklewood, a 151-hectare
site strategically located within a large,
fast-growing population centre in outer
London, is well placed to contribute to
this goal. The development project has
the potential to create a significant step
change in economic performance for
North London and to provide a substantial
boost to the wider London economy
by facilitating the comprehensive
regeneration of this area.
The overarching challenge is that, despite
its obvious regeneration potential,
Brent Cross demonstrates a commercial
viability gap. This is linked to the delivery
of a new train station on the highly
utilised Thameslink commuter line. The
regeneration of the area requires upfront
delivery of the station, but this is not
commercially viable for a single developer
to undertake.
BuroHappold Engineering was appointed
to support the local authority to make
a strong business case to central
Government for public funding of the
station. This funding would essentially
unlock the development and allow the full
regeneration scheme to proceed.

Our role was to coordinate a complex and

politically sensitive business case that
involved detailed financial modelling and
robust identification of the range of socioeconomic benefits that would accrue as a
result of government intervention.
The benefits of the scheme fall into
three broad groups: benefits associated
with enabling delivery of much needed
new housing; benefits associated with
facilitating comprehensive development
as required by the planning process;
and benefits associated with the
presence of a new train station and
transport interchange. In addition to
jobs created, a number of core socioeconomic benefits have been evaluated
as part of the economic appraisal: private
residential housing, affordable housing,
retail floorspace, additional commercial
development, new school places,
parks and leisure-related space, open
space, remediated land and highway
infrastructure. Given the wide range of
benefits that are likely to accrue from
the development proposals, a number
of different estimation and valuation
techniques were adopted and applied.
In all cases, best practice guidance was
utilised as practically as possible.
As a result of our input, the Government
agreed to fund the station in order to
bring forward the overall development
project.

Copyright 1976-2016 BuroHappold Engineering. All Rights Reserved

CLI EN T
London Borough of Barnet
D U R AT I O N
2015 - 2016
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY
BU R O HAPP O LD
Economic impact analysis and business
case, economic development strategy,
socioeconomic appraisal and modelling.

Image Brent Cross South / Argent