Battle lines drawn over homes plans for Gondar Gardens reservoir

Published: 20th January, 2011
by DAN CARRIER

A WILDLIFE haven in West Hampstead is set to become a battleground between developers who want to build a Brookside Close-style gated estate and neighbours who cherish the green space. 

The Gondar Gardens reservoir – home to slow worms, woodpeckers and bats – was bought last year by house-building firms Linden and Wates. 

Despite the land being a site of nature conservation interest, the owners are about to lodge a planning application with the Town Hall.

This week, fences went up around the site and a letter was sent to people living nearby claiming the Victorian arches beneath the fields were dangerous and could collapse. 

But Gondar and Agamemnon Residents’ Association (GARA) has doubts about a new survey which claims to have uncovered structural weaknesses at the reservoir.

GARA chairman David Yass said: “Having purchased land that is a site of nature conservation interest, which we assume they surveyed at the time, they have a duty to maintain it, not to fence it off and wait for it to collapse or use its condition as an argument in favour of development. 

“Previous surveys say it is sound, and they have refused to show us the new survey.”

A spokesman for the developers said they have put up safety fences to protect people and would try to preserve the brick arches.

“The arches are a design feature and we wish to retain these where feasible, or rebuild them as part of the redevelopment,” the developers said. 

“We intend to submit a planning application for the redevelopment in the next couple of weeks, but we have had to take this safety prevention now to minimise any potential injuries.”