| Camden Highline | |
| Image Alt: | The Camden Highline |
| Type: | elevated urban linear park; public park |
| Location: | Camden Town, London, England |
| Coordinates: | 51.5418°N -0.1388°W |
| Area: | A linear 0.75adj=onNaNadj=on stretch of converted train track |
| Status: | Planning approved |
| Website: | camdenhighline.com |
The Camden Highline is a proposed elevated public park and greenway that will run from Camden Town to King's Cross, transforming a disused section of the North London Line and running alongside it. The project plans to be long, running from Camden Gardens to York Way to act as an alternative walking route between Camden Town and King's Cross.[1]
The section of what is now the North London Line opened in 1850 by the East & West India Docks and Birmingham Junction Railway, with a new station at Camden Town opening at the same time on St Pancras Way. In 1853, the company became the North London Railway. The station on the line was renamed as Camden Road. On 1 July 1870, the name reverted to Camden Town, only to be resited in December of that year further west. The name was later changed again in 1950 to the present Camden Road. In 1984, the third platform to the station closed and the whole section from what is now the Camden Road West Junction to Camden Road East Junction was reduced from four to two tracks.[2]
The project was envisioned by a geographer, Oliver O'Brien, in 2015[3] and promoted by Camden Town Unlimited.
In 2017, a crowdfunding campaign raised £64,000 using the Spacehive platform and received 314 donations including from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan who said: "This innovative project has the potential to become a real asset for Camden and is a great example of a local community taking an idea and garnering support in order to make it a reality. I look forward to seeing it develop."[4] [5]
The project started fundraising the construction costs in August 2019.[6] [7]
In 2020, an international competition was held to find a design team and 76 bids were received. Entrants included Adjaye Associates, AL_A, AHMM, Asif Khan, Coffey Architects, Cullinan Studio, CZWG, David Kohn, Grant Associates, Hawkins\Brown, Jamie Fobert Architects, LDA, Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, Migrants Bureau, Weston Williamson, and Zaha Hadid Architects. International submissions were also lodged by BIG, Snøhetta, West 8, and Diller Scofidio + Renfro. The competition shortlist included the 2019 RIBA Stirling Prize contenders Feilden Fowles Architects; London-based Benedetti Architects; Southwark's We Made That with Hassell, Agence Ter of Paris; and US-based James Corner Field Operations, which led the team behind the High Line in New York City.[8]
In January 2023, the project was given planning approval for the first section between Camden Gardens and Royal College Street. It will have access to Camden Road railway station with lifts and stairs at each end. Various features are proposed to be included such as an edible garden, a grandstand, a play area and wildlife habitats, as well as an architectural screen for trainspotting. Construction of this section was estimated to cost £14 million.[9] [10]
As of January 2024, funding is still being sought with construction not expected to begin until late 2025, and the first section potentially opening in early 2027. [11]
The other stages still yet to be approved are from Royal College Street to Camley Street, and Camley Street to York Way, with various access points as the park crosses on the former railway bridges. One such entrance, at Royal College Street, will be through the former building of the first Camden Road station which is now a Grade II listed building.[12]