An octopus-inspired building, designed by the brains behind London’s Gherkin, may soon welcome people to Chiswick.

Developers hope the unique-looking office block, on land by Chiswick Roundabout, will become a sculptural landmark on the gateway to London.

And if property developers London and Bath Estates are given the green light it aims to have the 52m office block up in time for the 2012 Olympics.

Managing director Kim Gottlieb said: “The vast majority of people will arrive in Heathrow and will come through Hounslow and go past this site. It’s a fabulous position but it doesn’t really look like a main road into the country’s capital.”

Nicknamed the Octopus, the multi-million pound building is the brainchild of renowned architect Ken Shuttleworth.

It will contain 25,000sq ft of office space over five floors, while the outside would be used for advertising.

However, the plan has already met with concern from residents who claimed it was not suitable for Chiswick.

Pinkham Mansion resident Dave Dinehart said: “It’s a big billboard. They’ve said it will improve the entrance to Chiswick, but how will a great big advert improve the entrance? We’re not Las Vegas.”

Members of the West Chiswick and Gunnersbury Society (WCGS), who met Mr Gottlieb, also raised their concerns about the possible distraction the building and adverts would cause to motorists.

But Mr Gottlieb said the projected adverts would cause minimal disturbance thanks to the use of state-of-the-art LEDs, which would control the spread and strength of the light and mean adverts would appear only to the viewer approaching head-on.

He said: “It will be very controlled and won’t be seen from everywhere. We each drive past hundreds, if not thousands, of adverts everyday. They’re everywhere and we’re used to it. The Oxo Tower would be a pretty dull building without Oxo.”

And despite WCGS concerns, members passed a unanimous vote in support of the building, subject to guarantees it would be eco-friendly, light pollution would be minimised by dimming during hours of darkness and the advertising signs would only be seen from directly ahead.

It is hoped the application would go before the area committee in the new year and, if approved, Mr Gottlieb estimated the building would be completed by December 2011.

He said: “We’re confident it’s the right solution and aninteresting piece of architecture.”