Formerly known as St Pancras Chambers, this Grade 1 listed building will undergo a £150 million programme of restoration and refurbishment to restore the Victorian splendour of the original building by bringing the majority of it back to its original use.

The planning permission allows for a five star 245 bed hotel with two restaurants, two bars, a health and leisure centre, a ballroom, 20 meeting and function rooms and 68 new apartments.

The scheme retains the external appearance of the original building and a sympathetically designed hotel extension is proposed at the rear. All the internal rooms of historic significance will be restored to their former glory with appropriate public access.

Designed and built between 1868 and 1876 as a hotel by Sir George Gilbert Scott, the great Victorian architect of such buildings as the Foreign and Colonial Office in Whitehall and the Albert Memorial in Hyde Park it has been over seventy years since the departure of the last paying guest. Despite being frequently cited as one of the nation’s most loved and recognisable buildings, since its closure as a hotel in 1935 it has been left to deteriorate.

Harry Handelsman, CEO of MLC said: “St Pancras Chambers is the biggest challenge that MLC has had over the last 13 years. This magnificent Grade 1 listed building with all its intricate features will, on its completion in 2008, be the most exciting residential development and hotel in London and the catalyst for the regeneration of Kings Cross.”

Subject to the conclusion of any legal negotiations, MLC intend to start work on site in January next year and anticipates that the project will take approximately 30 months to complete, finishing in 2008.

The architects for the development are RHWL in conjunction with Richard Griffiths Architects.

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