Project is first new London mainline station in over a decade
Brent Cross West, London’s newest train station, has opened in Barnet.
The station’s eastern entrance was designed collaboratively by shedkm and Studio Egret West, with the latter retained to oversee detailed design and construction.
The station marks the first new mainline station constructed in London in over ten years and is situated between Cricklewood and Hendon stations on the Midland Main Line. It serves as the entry point to the emerging Brent Cross Town neighbourhood.
Brent Cross West connects central London to Brent Cross via Thameslink trains in 12 minutes. A notable feature is the newly introduced public overbridge, enabling pedestrian access across this section of the Midland Main Line for the first time since its 19th-century construction.
The station’s opening attracted rail enthusiasts and hundreds of attendees, with Barnet Council arranging musical events and family-friendly activities to commemorate the occasion. Over 100 Barnet residents were employed in the station’s construction.
Mayor Sadiq Khan was present at the ceremony, officially inaugurating Brent Cross West and commending Barnet Council and its partners for the successful execution of the project.
He said: “Brent Cross West station, the first major new mainline station in London in over a decade, will be transformative for northwest London, better connecting Brent Cross with the rest of the capital and unlocking wider development in the area.
”The station will serve as a gateway to a Brent Cross Town, a brand-new neighbourhood delivering new homes, creating jobs, and aiming to be net zero by 2030.
“Investment in London and in London’s transport network is critical in driving economic recovery in both the capital and the rest of the country.”
Barnet Council secured £419 million from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities to facilitate the project, supported by Mace as the programme’s project manager. VolkerFitzpatrick undertook the station’s design and construction, with Network Rail as a delivery partner.
Aside from the 7,000sq ft station, the project involved reconfiguring hundreds of metres of tracks and delivering new modern railway sidings to facilitate the station’s development. The teams navigated challenges of working on an active railway and managed complications arising from the Covid 19 pandemic, ensuring safe progression of the project.
Brent Cross West forms part of Barnet Council’s extensive redevelopment programme, helping to unlock broader development in the area. It also serves as the gateway to Brent Cross Town, a 180-acre net zero development being developed in partnership between Barnet Council and Related Argent. Brent Cross Town aims to introduce 6,700 new homes, 3 million sq ft of offices accommodating 25,000 employees, and a new high street.
André Gibbs, Partner of Related Argent said: “The opening of the new Brent Cross West station is a major milestone for Brent Cross Town, one of Europe’s largest new net zero neighbourhoods. There are six buildings currently under construction including close to 1,000 new homes with the first residents set to move in from the middle of 2024.
“The station will be a major gateway to the new business and innovation district connecting Brent Cross Town to the Knowledge Quarter in King’s Cross and the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, with 5.2 million working people within a 60-minute commute. Congratulations to Barnet Council and the delivery team who have provided a key station for London’s growth.”
The station’s eastern entrance, The Arbour, features a timber canopy covering a multi-level arrival area. Emphasising wellbeing and access to nature, the design seeks to merge functionality with a new green public space. The structure also accommodates a large-scale glulam timber frame to connect to two upcoming office buildings.
Additionally, The Arbour hosts a prominent piece of public art, “Time passes & still I think of you,” spanning 250sq m of the station’s main concourse. Created by local artist Giles Round, the artwork comprises brightly coloured vitreous enamel panels.
The station integrates with Brent Cross Town’s Copper Square, a new civic space and Business and Innovation District. This district includes four low carbon office buildings and a nine-storey mass timber office building designed by Bennetts Associates. The development’s ongoing construction includes residential and student accommodations, with the first residents expected to arrive in 2024.
Davendra Dabasia, COO for Mace Consult, who project managed the station programme on behalf of Barnet Council, said: “It’s not often London sees a brand-new station come to life, so this is a special moment for the city and the rail sector.
“And, while this fantastic station will have the immediate impact of enhancing connectivity for local people, it’s exciting for us at Mace to be at the heart of something that is sparking a much wider regeneration opportunity that will benefit Londoners but those in the South East, Midlands and the North as well. Brent Cross West Station is a testament to infrastructure’s role as a catalyst for growth.”
James Hindes, Managing Director for VolkerFitzpatrick, who were contracted to build the station, commented: “We are delighted to have been part of this ambitious project, for Barnet Council.
“Our team has engaged locally, collecting food donations, and renovating community facilities. We are proud to have provided local employment opportunities, work experience placements and apprenticeships, over the course of the project, building a lasting legacy for generations to come.”
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