How the 02 Centre site could be transformed

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COUNCILLORS have been advised to vote in favour of a deal with the O2 Centre developer which would see cash sums paid in exchange for not meeting familiar planning obligations.

The first stages of Land Sec’s designs for the site in Finchley Road will be decided at a committee meeting next week.

Officials recommend that the panel back the proposals on the table, although they do not meet open space targets or clean air ambitions.

After years of speculation, the application is to build a “new neighbourhood” of 1,800 homes on the lands behind the shopping centre.

Hundreds of objections have been submitted to the Town Hall covering a series of issues including the scale of the project. Planning papers indicate that Land Sec could make payment of £832,000 in lieu of not meeting “net zero” carbon commitments with its project to demolish the shopping centre.

More than £4.5m is also set to be agreed for failure to provide enough open space – if the plans are approved at next Thursday’s meeting.

Keith Moffitt, the former council leader who will be delivering a deputation on behalf of the West Hampstead Neighbourhood Development Forum, said: “One big point is West Hampstead ward is severely deficient in open space. If you think about it, there are a couple of kids’ playgrounds but nothing else. The biggest green land in the ward is the cricket pitch, but that is private land.

“The importance of this came to light during the pandemic when people needed to go out. I remember when they built O2 Centre. To have a big piece of open land just as a car park, well it just wouldn’t happen now. “It was a bad decision in the 90s. We shouldn’t let it happen again. What is proposed is a dreadful waste.”

Emails between council officials and the developer – published as part of the planning process – show that Camden had raised “concerns about open space”.

The 02 Centre is going to be bulldozed

It also raised concerns about the “dominance” of the tall buildings on proposed open spaces. In all, the proposed open space in the O2 Centre redevelopment amounts to just a half of what Camden’s own policies would normally require.

Mr Moffitt said he did not think cash payments would be used to create space in the West Hampstead ward. The proposals also do not meet the requirements of the London Plan or Camden Council for net-zero carbon development.

The decision facing the committee of elected councillors is whether to agree a first phase of works that would see 608 homes built on the Sainsbury’s car park section of the site.

Councillors will also have to agree “outline” planning permission for the rest of the project, which includes the rest of the site including the 25-year-old shopping centre. Of the full 1,800 homes proposed, just 35 per cent will be classed as “affordable”.. Land Sec said that more than 50 per cent of the 5.77 hectare site would be dedicated to public and green spaces and will be open and accessible and to all.

There will also be a “long tree-lined park connecting West Hampstead and Finchley Road providing an enhanced pedestrian and cycling link between the two communities” along with a “large green” for people to “visit, socialise and relax”.

A community garden will also be included in the first phase of works, Land Sec said. The full report for councillors to consider was released yesterday (Wednesday), confirming officers had recommended the scheme for approval.

A statement for the developer said: “We are delighted to be bringing forward proposals that aim to create something better than before – replacing a shopping centre at risk of decline and car park with much needed new homes including affordable, shops, two public parks, a health centre, community centre, nursery and affordable workspaces, all centred around a new town square.

“We want to create a new and inclusive place that works for the community with improved transport links and we are re-providing much-loved services such as the supermarket, cinema, and gym.

“We developed our plans in partnership with the London Wildlife Trust and over 50% of our proposals are open green spaces for the public with two public parks. We also plan to plant over 100 new trees with a 165% increase in the biodiversity of the site.

“In delivering this open space, we sought to strike a careful balance between delivering the homes that the borough sorely needs and creating beautiful and usable open spaces and other community benefits that local people have told us they want and need like a health centre and public parks.”

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