NEIGHBOURS of the West Hampstead Thameslink station are hugely disappointed that the new Iverson Road entrance has been approved by Camden Council. Due to be finished in late 2010, the entrance will complete the new footbridge installed ear

Susanna Wilkey

NEIGHBOURS of the West Hampstead Thameslink station are hugely disappointed that the new Iverson Road entrance has been approved by Camden Council.

Due to be finished in late 2010, the entrance will complete the new footbridge installed earlier this year - allowing step-free access to all platforms.

But residents have branded the new entrance a "monstrosity". They say it is too big for the area, will ruin its character and will destroy the woodland embankment.

The development will replace the existing entrance in West End Lane.

To provide more room for pedestrians, Network Rail also plans to widen the pavement along Iverson Road, getting rid of the current embankment. It also wants to build a tree-lined walkway, new cycle racks and a green wall.

George Andrews lives opposite the site and spoke against the scheme at the planning meeting.

He said: "I believe that they are building it in the wrong place.

"It should be moved further up Iverson Road to the corner with West End Lane where it will be more obvious to people and fewer people will come up into Iverson Road.

"So many people use that station. It is going to be right opposite my house and really high so it will block a lot of my light and I won't be able to see the green roof.

"The lime trees are also really weak and I don't think they will survive. They already keep being blown over.

"Everyone on Iverson Road is really annoyed about it. The so-called interchange is not an interchange at all - all the stations are separate.

"They are all disgorging their passengers out onto the streets causing mayhem."

Neighbour Candice Temple said: "I am not happy about it at all and it is not going to solve any of the problems around here.

"This is a complete waste of money and it is destroying the local ambiance and the character of West Hampstead.

"All of us have tried very hard to save the woodland because there are foxes and hedgehogs living there."

Network Rail also plans to demolish the two shops on the corner of Iverson Road and West End Lane to widen the narrow pavement and help improve safety on the junction.

The station building will also benefit from a living roof planted with flowering sedum plants.

Network Rail's Thameslink major programme director Jim Crawford said: "Our plans for West Hampstead Thameslink station and the surrounding area will benefit passengers, residents and the environment.

"Once complete, the station will be brighter, safer and able to handle the extra passengers that the new, longer trains will bring."

The new station is being built as part of Network Rail's �5.5billion Thameslink programme which will massively increase capacity on north-south services through London.