New buildings as part of the redevelopment of the O2 Centre could reach up to 16 stories, a public meeting held by two West Hampstead groups was told this week.

Developer Landsec and its architects AHMM - which are proposing to knock down the Finchley Road centre and build around 2000 homes there - were quizzed over the height of proposed buildings in the proposed 5.6 hectare scheme at a meeting organised by the West Hampstead and Fortune Green Neighbourhood Forum (NDF) and the West Hampstead Amenity and Transport (WHAT) group.

Ham & High: A draft sketch of how the streetscene and the public areas of the O2 Centre redevelopment could look.A draft sketch of how the streetscene and the public areas of the O2 Centre redevelopment could look. (Image: Landsec/AHMM)

Talking the Zoom audience through the plans as they stand, Susi Legood from AHMM said the plan is to have the height of buildings at either end of the site - in West End Lane and in Finchley Road - roughly matching the heights of existing buildings.

She said around Finchley Road there might be buildings of around six storeys, while from West End Lane moving eastwards heights could rise to around six or eight storeys.

Susi said there would be variations in height - including some low level buildings - but that in some parts of the development there might be "pin points" of up to 16 storeys.

Ham & High: The potentially to-be-demolished O2 Centre in Finchley Road.The potentially to-be-demolished O2 Centre in Finchley Road. (Image: Polly Hancock)

But she added: "That's not across the whole thing, that's looking at a few key marking points. These are strategies we will be testing both from the conservation areas and how it impacts surrounding areas, as well as with the council, as well as coming back into workshops with yourselves to share emerging thoughts."

The architect sought to reassure the audience about the design of the blocks, saying: "We absolutely do not see this as a standard glass and block type thing."

Landsec's development manager, Theresa Brewer, told the meeting the plan would be to seek planning consent for two blocks to begin with, as well as "masterplan planning consent" for the scheme more generally.

Ham & High: An aerial view of the proposed O2 Centre redevelopment.An aerial view of the proposed O2 Centre redevelopment. (Image: Landsec /AHMM)

She thanked the community groups for holding the event and said: "We are committed to working with the local community and Camden Council to deliver something that works for all and this will very much be an ongoing conversation over the next few months. "

Attendees raised concerns around the strain the mammoth development would put on infrastructure in the area. Landsec said it will look to provide shops and a health centre.