O2 Centre proposals include new homes, green space and town square
The potentially to-be-demolished O2 Centre in Finchley Road. - Credit: Polly Hancock
Up to 2,000 new homes, a "linear park" and a new town square are among the changes that could be on the way in Finchley Road.
Landsec - which owns the O2 Centre, the land it sits on and its car park - is looking ahead to a radical redevelopment of the area between Finchley Road and West End Lane.
Its online consultation has received more than 800 comments so far, with local people concerned about retaining amenities such as a supermarket and cinema, and wary of the height of any proposed buildings.
The scheme is at an early stage — no planning applications have yet been submitted — but a look at the ideas Landsec is consulting on shows a vision which would see huge changes to this patch of north London.
Landsec says its masterplan for the area contains "four key elements".
They are "a residential neighbourhood", "a town square", "a linear park" and "a green for all".
On the first point, Landsec states: "Between the excellent connectivity, the size of the site and the potential of the adjoining land, capacity for around 1,800-2,000 homes has been identified.
"We don’t yet know exactly how the masterplan will look or exactly how many homes will eventually be part of the final proposals – that work will progress over the next 6-12 months as we continue to engage with you – but we agree that there is a huge amount of potential."
Most Read
- 1 CCTV footage released as family pay tribute to 'loving son' Olsi
- 2 Highgate woman pledges £1million for children's autism charity
- 3 Man arrested following stabbing on Royal College Street
- 4 First Muslim lord mayor of Westminster announced
- 5 Five bedrooms, utterly charming and in Muswell Hill
- 6 Former Camden Council leader chooses women's safety charity for second mayoral year
- 7 Floating park between Camden Town and King's Cross
- 8 'I'm sorry people had to wait 30 years,' former minister tells Infected Blood Inquiry
- 9 Barnet: Two men charged following fatal High Road stabbing
- 10 Toff's of Muswell Hill celebrates Fish and Chips Day with 50 free glasses of fizz
The consultation specifies the scheme would be "open to all", and would involve "a place to play and socialise – for everyone".
The plans suggest the "linear park" would "stitch together" the residential housing and individual streets.
The mooted town square is slated for the entrance to the site from Finchley Road. Landsec suggests there could be "flexible indoor and outdoor space". This could include shops, restaurants and entertainment venues, and that the space could host farmers' markets and community fairs.
The linear park is described as a "south facing, shared space – not over-shadowed by buildings".
The scheme would also involve a new green space leading off West End Lane, described as "the social heart of the neighbourhood". The developer says this space could host a health centre or community centre.
The consultation remains open at o2vision.commonplace.is/ and Landsec is to bring forward more detailed plans with its architects over the next year.