The O2 Centre site

On the evening of Thursday, 30th March, Camden Council's planning committee met to consider Landsec's application to develop its O2 Centre site between Finchley Road and West End Lane. The council's planning department were recommending approval of the scheme, subject to the usual legal agreements. 

CRASH's Chair, Eric Bergsagel, spoke in opposition to the scheme, as did our ward councillors Will Prince and Nina De Ayala Parker. Our third ward councillor, Izzy Lenga was also in attendance supporting her colleagues. There was little in the way of opposition from the West Hampstead councillors.

At the end of the evening the Chair of the committee called for a vote, with 7 councillors voting for approval of the application and 3 voting against. The three refusing to give consent were:

Councillor Andrew Parkinson, Conservative, Frognal

Councillor Will Prince, Labour, South Hampstead

Councillor Tom Simon, Lib Dem, Belsize

The scheme now goes to the Mayor of London for a decision, and there may also be grounds for an appeal to the Secretary of State. South Hampstead may have lost the first round in this boxing match, but the fight isn't over yet. Watch this space.