Loss of Green Space Emerges as Key Issue in Holborn and St Pancras Byelection

Key Points

• The loss of parks, playgrounds and other green areas linked to HS2 and surrounding Euston developments has become a major issue in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection.
• Planning documents indicate that 14,404 square metres of green space and playgrounds are expected to be permanently lost from the constituency, while additional areas have been or will be temporarily closed during construction.
• St James’s Gardens, an 18th-century burial ground and designated site of importance for nature conservation, is among the areas affected by the redevelopment.
• HS2 Ltd had previously proposed replacing St James’s Gardens with a park built on a concrete deck above railway tracks, but that replacement was removed following redesigns aimed at reducing costs.
• Lendlease is developing plans for commercial buildings and housing around the Euston site, with proposals potentially providing up to 1,500 homes.
• The final number of homes and the proportion that will be affordable have not yet been determined.
• Local campaigners have linked the redevelopment to wider concerns about housing affordability, family-sized homes, school pupil numbers and the future character of Camden.
• The Green Party is challenging Labour in the byelection, while Labour has historically dominated both the constituency and Camden Council.
• Green Party leader Zack Polanski is standing in the contest, although Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell has said she considers a Green victory unlikely.
• Camden Council says its Euston Area Plan establishes a vision for development in the area through to 2051 and is being submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for public examination.
• Lendlease says its proposals could provide new homes, including affordable housing, alongside public spaces, improved connections and facilities for businesses and communities.

The Londoner News (TLN) October 7, 2026 – The loss of green space around Euston has emerged as a significant issue ahead of the Holborn and St Pancras byelection, with residents and campaigners questioning the long-term impact of HS2 construction and wider redevelopment. Planning documents indicate that 14,404 square metres of green space and playgrounds will be permanently lost from the constituency, while other areas have been affected by construction activity. The dispute has expanded beyond parks to include housing, affordability, school enrolment and concerns about how Camden’s development policies affect existing residents. Labour and the Green Party are contesting the seat, which was vacated by former prime minister Keir Starmer.

Why has green space become a major issue in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection?

The future of green space around Euston has become closely connected to the political contest because residents have experienced years of construction associated with HS2 and the redevelopment of the wider station area.

The central concern is not simply the temporary disruption caused by construction. Planning documents indicate that 14,404 square metres of green space and playgrounds within the constituency are expected to be permanently lost as a result of the high-speed railway project and associated developments.

The issue has particular resonance among residents who were previously told that green areas removed during construction would be replaced.

Dorothea Hackman, a governor at Netley primary school, is among those expressing concern about the changes. She argued that residents had been given assurances that lost green space would be returned, while the continuing development has instead reduced the amount of space available.

The dispute has therefore become part of a wider debate over whether the long-term benefits promised by the redevelopment will compensate local communities for the land and facilities they are losing.

What green space is being lost because of the Euston redevelopment?

The most prominent location in the dispute is St James’s Gardens, an 18th-century burial ground that has also been designated as a site of importance for nature conservation.

The gardens form part of the area affected by the Euston section of HS2. The railway project required significant construction work around the station, bringing long-term changes to the surrounding neighbourhood.

HS2 Ltd had originally committed to replacing St James’s Gardens with a new park constructed on a concrete deck above railway tracks to the north of Euston station.

However, government cost-cutting and subsequent redesigns resulted in the proposed replacement park being removed from the scheme.

That decision has intensified concerns among environmental campaigners and residents because the redevelopment is no longer simply about temporary loss during construction. The removal of the replacement proposal means questions remain about what permanent public green space will be available once the wider project is completed.

Alice Brown, co-founder of Climate Emergency Camden, said retaining green space was important because residents needed places away from the activity and pressure associated with Euston station.

Her comments reflect a broader concern that redevelopment could create a heavily built-up environment dominated by offices and other commercial structures.

How could the Euston development affect housing in the constituency?

Housing is another central part of the debate surrounding the redevelopment.

Lendlease is preparing plans for commercial space and residential development across parts of the Euston site. The company has said the scheme could provide up to 1,500 homes, including affordable homes.

However, the final number of homes and the precise amount of affordable housing have not yet been established.

This uncertainty has become significant for residents who argue that the scale of redevelopment should be assessed alongside its effect on the existing community.

Brown questioned whether the amount of affordable housing would adequately compensate for the disruption and loss of public space associated with construction.

She also raised concerns about how the term “affordable housing” is understood, arguing that housing priced at a proportion of existing market costs does not necessarily meet the needs of households requiring social housing.

Lendlease, however, has described its proposals as a development that could provide homes, public spaces, improved connections and locations for businesses and community activities.

The difference between these perspectives has placed housing policy alongside green-space protection as a major issue in the byelection campaign.

Why are local schools and families part of the housing debate?

The redevelopment is also being discussed in connection with demographic changes affecting the local area.

Hackman, who is a governor at Netley primary school near Euston, has expressed concern about falling pupil numbers and the availability of housing suitable for families.

She argued that Camden’s approach to providing family-sized housing was contributing to families with children leaving the borough.

The concern is relevant to the long-term sustainability of local communities because the composition of new housing can influence who is able to remain in an area.

If developments primarily produce smaller homes or housing that is unaffordable to families, campaigners argue that existing households with children could face increasing pressure to move elsewhere.

The issue consequently extends beyond the number of homes being constructed. It also concerns the type of housing being delivered and whether it meets the needs of people already living in the area.

Could the Euston redevelopment influence voters away from Labour?

The byelection provides an opportunity for voters dissatisfied with the redevelopment or the council’s approach to express their views at the ballot box.

Labour has a long-established political presence in the area. The party has controlled Camden Council since the 1960s and has represented Holborn and St Pancras since the constituency was established in 1983.

That record makes the byelection particularly significant for Labour, while the Green Party sees an opportunity to expand its support in an area where environmental and planning questions have become increasingly prominent.

Brown suggested that frustration with Camden Labour could influence voters who believe council decisions have not adequately reflected local residents’ interests.

Her criticism extends to development decisions and the disposal of land, which she argued could leave local residents worse off.

These claims are part of the political debate surrounding the byelection rather than an established finding that the council’s policies have harmed residents.

Can the Green Party challenge Labour in the byelection?

The Green Party is contesting the seat with its leader, Zack Polanski, as its candidate.

At Labour’s party conference, deputy leader Lucy Powell said she considered a Green Party victory unlikely.

However, campaigners supporting the Greens have argued that the combination of environmental concerns, housing pressures and dissatisfaction with local government could create an opening for the party.

Brown said she believed Polanski would take an active approach to local issues and could seek improvements in the way the council operates.

The contest therefore provides a test of whether environmental and local planning issues can translate into electoral support in a traditionally Labour-held constituency.

The byelection follows Starmer’s departure from the parliamentary seat, making the contest significant independently of the Euston redevelopment.

What is Camden Council’s position on the Euston development?

Camden Council has defended its planning framework by pointing to the Euston Area Plan, which establishes its vision for development in the area through to 2051.

A council spokesperson said the plan was being submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for public examination following consultation during the year.

The planning process means that the future of the wider Euston area is subject to formal scrutiny rather than being determined solely by individual campaign positions.

The council’s planning framework is intended to guide development over a long period and covers issues including the future of the area around the station.

The process also means that questions about housing, public space, transport connections and development density will continue to be considered through the planning system.

What does Lendlease say about its plans for Euston?

Lendlease has presented its proposals as an opportunity to create new housing and public infrastructure alongside commercial development.

A spokesperson for the company said its proposals, being developed with partners, could deliver up to 1,500 new homes, including affordable homes.

The company also said the plans could provide public spaces, improved connections and locations where businesses and communities could operate.

The wording reflects the fact that the proposals remain under development. The final number of homes and the amount of affordable housing have not yet been determined.

Lendlease’s role is particularly important because responsibility for the wider site now involves both public planning authorities and private development interests.

HS2 was authorised directly by Parliament, while parts of the surrounding redevelopment are subject to the conventional planning process.

How does HS2 fit into the wider Euston redevelopment?

HS2 construction has been one of the principal drivers of change around Euston.

The high-speed railway was planned to connect London with Birmingham and other destinations further north, although the schedule for the full London-to-Birmingham railway has changed.

The government currently estimates that the full high-speed railway between London and Birmingham will open between May 2040 and December 2043.

The Euston section has consequently become a long-term infrastructure project rather than a short construction programme.

For people living nearby, that means the effects of the development extend over many years. Construction disruption, changes to public space and the eventual design of the station and surrounding neighbourhood are all connected to decisions made at different stages of the project.

The dispute over St James’s Gardens demonstrates how decisions made during the development process can continue to influence local politics years after construction begins.

Why could the byelection become a wider test of local development policy?

The Holborn and St Pancras contest brings together several issues that are often considered separately: infrastructure, environmental protection, housing, planning and local government accountability.

Green space is the most visible aspect of the dispute, but residents’ concerns also include whether new housing will be affordable, whether family households can remain in the borough and whether local schools will retain sufficient numbers of pupils.

The political significance of the issue will depend on how voters weigh those competing priorities.

For Labour, the contest tests the party’s established position in a constituency it has represented for decades. For the Greens, it offers an opportunity to demonstrate whether environmental and planning concerns can translate into parliamentary support.

The result will therefore provide an indication of the importance voters attach to local development issues, although a single byelection cannot by itself establish a wider national electoral trend.

What is the background to the Euston green-space dispute?

The dispute developed from the long-running redevelopment associated with HS2 and the reconstruction of the Euston area.

When construction began around Euston in 2017, residents saw parks and playgrounds affected by the works. Expectations were raised that lost green space would be replaced.

St James’s Gardens became one of the most contentious locations because of its historic use as a burial ground and its ecological designation.

The original proposal to create replacement green space on a deck above the railway tracks represented an attempt to incorporate a new park into the transformed station environment.

That proposal was subsequently removed after redesigns aimed at reducing costs.

At the same time, the surrounding area has become the subject of plans for housing and commercial development. Lendlease is responsible for preparing proposals for parts of the wider site, while Camden Council is responsible for assessing the planning application.

The result is a complex development environment involving central government infrastructure, private development and local planning authority decisions.

What could the Euston redevelopment mean for local voters after the byelection?

The immediate political consequence of the byelection will be determined by the result, but the underlying planning questions are likely to remain regardless of which candidate wins.

For Euston-area residents, the principal concerns are likely to remain access to green space, the character of the neighbourhood, housing availability and the duration of construction activity.

For families, the amount and type of housing delivered could influence whether households with children can remain in the borough.

For local schools, changes in the number of family households could affect future pupil populations.

For environmental campaigners, the treatment of existing green areas and the provision of replacement public space will remain important measures of the redevelopment’s impact.

For businesses and developers, the eventual planning decisions will determine the scale and character of commercial and residential development around Euston.