PLANS to bulldoze an Edwardian train station and replace it with a modern building more than five times the size have divided opinion in West Hampstead.

As revealed in the New Journal last month, the overground station in West End Lane, which was built in the early-1900s, will be upgraded in an attempt to deal with the growing number of passengers, but concerns have been raised over the loss of the quaint red-brick building. 

The new complex will be 600 square metres larger than the existing one and has been described as an “eyesore” that “resembles a petrol station”.

More than 5.6 million journeys were made through the station in 2012, a number that Transport for London expects to “dramatically increase” in coming years, and improvements to the station are said to be “necessary to accommodate this increased demand”.

Mila Griebel, who lives nearby, urged Camden Council to reconsider the design and wrote: “While I understand the need to update the current station, the planned building, brings nothing to the area. The design is poor in appearance and materials. It resembles a petrol station, with red brick outdoor toilets. There is no point to its extreme height, large white flat top.”

Writing in the New Journal last week, Tom Muirhead outlined his opposition to the loss of the “charming Edwardian building that sits so well at the highest point of West End Lane”, adding: “Losing this little gem will have the same effect as an old friend losing a tooth.”

Commuter Callum Farrell-Morris, who lives in Hampstead, said: “I’m not in favour of modernist, minimalist architecture. To me there’s no history, there’s no culture. There’s nothing that tells you it is in London and not in Dubai.”

Others have supported the works, which will allow TfL to increase the number of normal-sized ticket barriers from three to eight, while introducing wider platforms to accommodate longer trains and wheelchair access to the station will be improved.

West Hampstead resident Ann Voelker wrote to the Town Hall in support of the upgrade and the “improved access through lifts and widening of pavement”.

Michele Vardaro, who works in the Mikies coffee shop which is part of the existing station, said the plans “look good,” adding: “If it’s for the good of the community, then it’s good.”

Planning documents submitted to Camden Council said: “The concept is to create a station as a continuation of ‘the street’, merging the building frontage with the public realm.”

Members of the public can comment on the plans until Tuesday and a decision is expected to be taken later this year.