The developers behind the bitterly contested £150 million regeneration of Shepherd’s Bush street market today claimed they were winning the hearts and minds of sceptical traders.
Chris Horn of property company Orion Shepherds Bush said “most of the traders” now welcomed its controversial plans to modernise the run-down west London market despite a high profile campaign of opposition.
He was speaking as the developer — a joint venture between Orion Land & Leisure and Development Securities — staged an exhibition revealing new images of their plans ahead of detailed planning submissions to Hammersmith & Fulham council.
The plans foresee new cafés and open spaces and new artisan food traders to attract more affluent local shoppers.
Mr Horn said: “We have had lots of meetings with traders and generally they have been very positive. Some feel they have to position themselves [against the plans] in public, but they now understand we are not fly-by-nights.”
But James Horada, chairman of the Shepherd’s Bush Market Tenants Association, said: “People are upset, fearful and very frustrated. Orion have been vague and ambiguous about this whole proposal.” The scheme is being funded by the construction and sale of 212 private apartments next to the market.
The proposals won outline planning permission from Hammersmith & Fulham council in 2012 but are still the subject of a public enquiry into a compulsory purchase order application.
A legal challenge from traders from 30-52 Goldhawk Road was blocked in the High Court last month.
Audrey Boughton, co-owner of Cooke’s Pie & Mash Shop, which has been trading on Goldhawk Road since 1899, said the CPO would mean the loss of her freehold in return for an offer of leasehold premises to move into.
She said: “I’m losing an appreciating asset and being offered a depreciating one. A CPO is normally for national infrastructure projects like HS2 or the Olympics, not for residential development. How it got this far is beyond me.”
