The company's description of the plan says the interchange would create a single station for all five of the lines which run through the neighbourhood. These are the Thameslink, North London and Jubilee Lines - which already stop in West Hampstead - and the Chiltern line to Birmingham and the Metropolitan line, neither of which currently stop in the neighbourhood.
The plan would be financed by a big redevelopment of West End Lane - with a mix of retail, business and residential property. The area between the Thameslink and Jubilee Line stations would be turned into what Chiltern calls "a new London square" - with a tree-lined boulevard and wide pavements. It promises a pedestrian-friendly space and architecture in sympathy with the existing environment. However, residents expressed scepticism about this latter claim when the initial proposals were unveiled two years ago.
The company says there is no "do-nothing option" and this seems to be the view of local campaigners who are monitoring the issue. The West Hampstead Local Consultation Group says:
"Camden has already granted planning permission for over-development on West End Lane, where the limo company is located, and on Blackburn Road. Another developer owns most of the site behind Silverlink, where the car wash and Olympic Recovery are located, and is undoubtedly waiting to see what happens with the station before submitting an application, rumoured to be horrendously big. The WHLCG feels it would be better to have one cohesive scheme that brings real benefits to the community - such as getting passengers who interchange between Thameslink, LUL and Silverlink below ground, out of the way, or bringing Chiltern Line's services to Birmingham to our doorstep - without causing too much disruption."
You can join their mailing list if you want to keep up to date with the proposal. There also a webpage devoted to the project at a site called alwaystouchout.com.
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