Objections building against homes plan in Gap Road, Wimbledon, designated for Crossrail 2

Neighbours of a seven acre strip of land in Gap Road in Wimbledon have collected the signatures against plans to build 165 homes, parking and landscaping after a detailed proposal was unveiled this month.

The land between Gap Road and Ashcombe Road is currently home to Safestore, Dairy Crest and Wimbledon Builders Merchants, who own it.

Plans for Gap Road, courtesy of Curtin & Co. 

An announcement by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson today detailed a ‘safeguarding route’ which slices Merton in half along the existing railway line.

The so-called regional scheme could see a route from the existing Wimbledon train station out into Motspur Park and Epsom on one branch and Surbiton on a second.

Land in Gap Road has been designated as safeguarded for the £20bn Crossrail 2 project which could be open by 2030 after a lengthy consultation process over the next few years.

This means that the scheme's developers will have the right to put access routes and other infrastructure on the land if necessary in the future.

Tara Creegan, of Ashcombe Road, has been collecting signatures against the Gap Road re-development with neighbour Olivier Evans.

Miss Creegan said: "They have rushed it through with not much thought.

"We are worried about the impact on infrastructure- the Gap Road entrance and exit.

"To have eight storey buildings will cause a lot of problems for residents with overshadowing."

Leigh Terrafranca from the Wimbledon East Hillside Residents’ Association said they were concerned about employment, stating 120 people would be made redundant if the site was re-developed.

The association also raised concerns about an increase in traffic and congestion, school places for new residents, impact on wildlife including bats and owls, as well as access to the site.

Ms Terrafranca said: "Given the many reasons outlined above, in our view, it would be wrong for Merton Council to grant a change of use to residential, and perhaps even more wrong for mixed use of residential and light-industrial, given the conflicting needs of homeowners versus industrial users at this particular address."

Sarah Wardle from Curtin & Co which describes itself as the company providing community and political engagement for the redevelopment project, said: "People’s opinions are people’s opinions.

"We have asked for people’s opinions and they have given it.

"The consultation is ongoing."

A planning application is scheduled to be submitted to Merton Council in November