West Hampstead residents – ‘We’ll fight plans to build on open land’

Published: 7 October, 2010
by DAN CARRIER

DEVELOPERS planning to build a new luxury housing estate on open land in West Hampstead that is a site of special scientific interest face a bitter fight by people living nearby.

The former Thames Water reservoir in Gondar Gardens has over the years been at the centre of various attempts to build homes, and now residents are gearing up to see off another set of developers. 

The site was bought in January by two companies, Wates and Linden Homes. The former reservoir, which has Victorian brick vaults beneath, was decommissioned by Thames Water in 2002 and is home to 30 types of birds, slow worms, woodpeckers and bats.

Gondar and Agamemnon Residents Association chairman David Yass said that the Association would not back plans to build on the site. 

He said: “Planning policy has determined that the borough is best served by this site re­maining undeveloped.” 

The developers have declined to reveal any details of the plans to the New Journal.  

But a public exhibition is to be held on Saturday at Emmanuel CofE School in Mill Lane between 10.30am and 3.30pm.