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| NEWS | BY JANE WRIGHT |
 Vision: (above) Strasbourg station concourse in France is a model for the interchange; (below), an architect’s impression of the station development planned for West Hampstead 
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Bosses of the privatised train operator proposed additional platforms for their own and Metropolitan Tube lines at the new West Hampstead station as well as the current Jubilee line and Silverlink and Thameslink trains, plus a central booking hall and level access for wheelchairs and pushchairs. They also told the public meeting attended by more than 200 people that they wanted to regenerate West End Lane as “a new London square” in the area between the existing separate stations at West Hampstead. They painted a picture of tree-lined boulevards, wide pavements, shops and station pull-ins for buses and taxis. But there would also be “new housing and offices on some derelict sites”. The plans were hailed as “very radical” by Simon Inglis, independent chairman of the meeting held at Hampstead Synagogue in Dennington Park Road by West Hampstead Local Consultation Group of residents, who support a new station interlink. Chiltern business development manager Allan Dare said: “The three existing stations lack modern facilities and are separated by busy roads. We want to create a secure, airy, well-lit concourse both over and under the existing tracks, monitored by CCTV.” And he added: “It’s not realistic not to do anything, as we forecast people using the dangerous, narrow pavements between today’s separate stations will triple by 2011”. An estimated 3,000-plus commuters already crowd West Hampstead pavements every rush hour, which is the main reason residents want change. A straw poll at the end of the meeting revealed a substantial majority “more positive than negative” about Chiltern’s scheme. And the company’s stated intention of not relying on any public funds would overcome the likely hurdle that an integrated station funded by Transport for London, the subject of a report last month by consultant Rob Bayley, would be too expensive. As an alternative, Mr Bayley has recommended £20 million improvements, including wider pavements, an access bridge and lifts for the separate stations. Chiltern refused to put a price tag on their project, or answer Lib Dem councillor Jonathan Simpson’s question: “What will the cost be in terms of extra houses and commercial development to pay for it?” Kylemore Road resident Robert Rea, journalist son of Lib Dem leader and local councillor Flick Rea, said: “The drawings I’ve seen tonight will not maintain the character of West End Lane.” Alex Gollner, of Finchley Road, added: “The five-storey development is too high.” Diana Laurillard, of Narcissus Road, welcomed the scheme, but asked: “How can we retain this as one of the few places in London with big views?” The comments went to the heart of the residents’ dilemma over an integrated station and the reason why previous proposals from Railtrack in 1999 never got off the ground: the scale of the pay-off in terms of commercial development caused a residents’ outcry. Chiltern architect John Henry, of Koetter Kim Associates, described five storeys above ground as “realistic”. If Chiltern didn’t build them, somebody else soon would, he said, while stressing nothing had yet been decided. He also told George Telfer of Broadhurst Gardens, who worried about the fate of small shops: “It’s critical to keep the continuity of individual retailers.” Mr Dare emphasised, despite Chiltern’s ownership by former house builder turned “infrastructure investor” John Laing, the redevelopment would be “transport-led” and “not another O2 centre”. Chiltern chairman Adrian Shooter was asked to spell out the pay-off for the company of its proposed investment in West Hampstead, which is likely to top £100 million. “To carry passengers we don’t have now,” he said, though sections of the audience remained cynical. After the meeting Cllr Rea described the presentation as “naïve”. Further worries were expressed about the disruption of another major redevelopment, after what Candice Temple, a resident of Redcroft Flats on the corner of West End Lane and Iverson Road, described as “the current nine-month nightmare of unbelievable noise”. Camden Council’s strengthening of the Silverlink railway bridge in West End Lane, which began last September, has provoked bitter complaint and possible legal action by residents and traders. Despite Chiltern’s promises of phasing construction of the interchange to minimise chaos, they admitted some weekend and night work would be necessary. Ms Temple said: “I’m worried about six years of not being able to live properly.” Mr Shooter said Chiltern had received a “commitment to co-operate” from Railtrack’s replacement, Network Rail. “We’ve been working on the scheme for 10 years,” he said, but warned: “This is still at a very early stage.” Mr Henry said later Chiltern had approached Camden Council to “help them” draw up a planning brief for the scheme, to stop the piecemeal development of strategic plots, two of which had already been snapped up this year. He hoped this could be achieved by the end of 2003, followed next year by a public inquiry and the start of building work. WHLCG secretary Marcia MacLeod, of Dennington Park Road – a straw poll “don’t know” – said after the meeting: “I’m very worried by the size of the development, but Chiltern genuinely seems to want to work with us on this.” A Town Hall spokesman said it was “very early stages” but the council would be consulting with the rail company. “We rather than Chiltern are drawing up a planning brief,” he said. |
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