A revamp of one of London’s busiest train stations is facing criticism for making small improvements despite calls for a complete makeover.

Network Rail is starting the second phase of the £35 million scheme to give Clapham Junction more shops, cafés and space for commuters in a bid to slash congestion.

But a full redevelopment of the station drawn up in 2019 suggested it could become an extension of the high street – as a hub of cafés, restaurants, shops, workspaces and new homes connecting communities on opposite sides of the railway.

Architects Hawkins Brown, consultants Mott MacDonald and engineers Laing O’Rourke put forward the vision and said the station presented a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to bring a new town centre to Battersea.

Network Rail told the Local Democracy Reporting Service it is aware the station needs to be improved and is working on wider plans for the near future that are affordable, in addition to the current works.

The company has already rolled out free passenger WiFi across the station, revamped the lifts and repainted the overbridge from platforms one to six under the current £35 million scheme.

But the Battersea Society said the current works would bring about “much more modest improvements”, in a statement on the group’s website.

It added: “The prospects for the much-needed complete redevelopment seem further away than ever. Small improvements [are] all we can hope for in the near future.”

It is now remodelling the station’s main entrance – Brighton Yard – to install wider gatelines to improve accessibility and cut congestion. The Brighton Yard ticket office will shut, although the one at the St John’s Hill entrace will stay open, and more ticket machines will be added.

Five new retail units will also be built, including new coffee shops and newsagents, and toilets and baby changing facilities will be improved.

The third phase of the scheme in December will see the staircases on platforms 13 and 14 replaced and widened.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We are making minor enhancements to Clapham Junction station to boost the overall passenger experience and make it more accessible.

“We are aware that the station needs to be improved and are working with our partners on a wider development plan of the station for the near future.

"It is just a question of finding a proposal that is both suitable and affordable.”