Nasrine Djemai and the image created by the Heath and Hampstead Society

WALKERS on Hampstead Heath who say the view of London will be ruined by a series of new tall developments are struggling to convince the council’s regeneration chief not to build high, writes Richard Osley.

Labour councillor Nasrine Djemai, who is fronting the overhaul of estates in Gospel Oak, said she was puzzled as to who would find building new housing unacceptable, as she was questioned at a council committee meeting last week.

She said: “On basic level, looking at the geography and landscape of Camden, there’s only so many places that we can now build on. If we don’t go up, then we’re not going to see the amount of homes that we need in the borough.

“That’s why we are going that height, because there simply isn’t enough land to just build, like, six storeys.”

Cllr Djemai was taking questions from Conservative group leader Councillor Steve Adams at the cross-party culture and environment committee.

Cllr Adams had raised the image created by the Heath and Hampstead Society which shows how the skyline looking south from Parliament Hill will be altered once projects have finished, including the 20-year rebuilding of the West Kentish Town Estate, a major facelift for Murphy’s Yard and Yoo Capital’s Film Quarter scheme for the Regis Road industrial site.

“I’m seriously concerned that this is going to be the ruination of the views from Hampstead Heath, a protected area,” he said.

“It’s got to change a lot before it becomes acceptable.”

Conservative group leader Steve Adams

Cllr Djemai, who has been tipped to be a future leader of the council or an MP, replied: “I’m actually curious. When you say ‘acceptable’, acceptable for who? I want to understand, genuinely. Acceptable for who? From whose perspective are we looking at this? I want to put myself in their shoes for a moment to understand.”

Cllr Adams in turn told her: “Residents and people who live in the north part of the borough who go to Hampstead Heath and look at the view towards central London. They will be faced with a wall of new tall developments.”

Cllr Djemai then replied: “I live in the south of the borough and the view outside my window is Euston Tower and BT Tower, so I’m not quite sure.”

Council officers told the meeting that it was accepted that some “harm” might be caused to the views from the Heath, but this was outweighed by the need to build new homes in the borough.

Cllr Adams said he felt Camden was taking a different approach in Euston with plans for smaller buildings and that heights were restricted in the south of the borough.

Marc Hutchinson, chair of the Heath and Hampstead Society, told the New Journal last month that “iconic” views would be lost by the cumulative impact of the development schemes and more coordination was needed.