Local Community celebrates as Committee overturns developer’s planning application Shepherd’s Bush Market is a well-loved, traditional market, offering a broad spectrum of goods including the exotic and quirky, to the domestic and practical at bargain prices. The long-standing history of the market businesses has played an influential role in the life of the area for over a century. This all changed in 2014, when Shepherd’s Bush Market was sold from the care of Transport for London, over to a property developer. Since the handover of Shepherd’s Bush Market, the footfall and tenancy has fallen dramatically, and the remaining market businesses have been forced to fight several legal battles against the property developer to preserve their livelihoods. The developer had recently submitted a planning application (Application 2017/01887/FUL) to the Hammersmith & Fulham Council to create a late night food and drink area. The space was to be constructed out of dozens of cargo containers on the Council’s neighbouring land to Shepherd’s Bush Market known as ‘The Old Laundry Site Area’ that sits to the rear of Pennard Road W12. Both local residents and businesses raised significant concerns regarding the developer’s proposals, as it was felt that the developer’s application to create a metal shanty area would cause much disruption and prejudice to the local community. The encampment of dozens of old cargo containers which had previously been dropped on the Old Laundry Site Area some 2 years ago by the developer, allegedly without permission, has been abandoned and left to deteriorate. It appeared to the local community that the developer’s recent application had been submitted in order to justify a way in which the developer could occupy the site and give some form of legitimacy to use these shabby containers. If planning permission had been granted for a temporary period of two years, there would have been a large number of conditions, which would need to be met before the site became remotely operational. It was stressed by the Shepherd’s Bush Market Tenants’ Association that there was risk that time pressures may make it impossible to discharge all the necessary conditions and obtain the required approvals. The market traders were greatly concerned that to meet the time limitation, the scheme would be allowed to become operational before all of the conditions were met and approved. The Shepherd’s Bush Market Tenants’ Association wishes to see the continued success of Shepherd’s Bush Market, as in previous decades, and will continue to do whatever it takes to protect the well being of its tenants. There were concerns that the use of the containers, which are already an eyesore, would be creating harm rather than enhancement in Shepherd’ Bush. The developer’s temporary solution to legitimise the current position was not sufficient, as the area needs a constructive long-term solution that will truly assist the community, and not a temporary and hasty proposal that would cause prejudice to the market community. The Shepherd’s Bush Market Tenants’ Association are open to working with the developer on productive and positive improvements to Shepherd’s Bush Market if a clear and respectful plan can be devised. The SBMTA have been very patient in waiting for the developer’s past mistakes to be made right and bring complete resolution to the tenants’ concerns, yet the developer’s actions repeatedly demonstrates disregard. The market traders have been left with little confidence in the developer’s intentions to care for the market or the tenants. The developer’s application had emerged not from a coherent and considered development plan, but from an attempt to achieve a retrospective justification for what is in essence, a facade, which would have produced an unsightly and muddled site. The local community is truly thankful that the Planning Councillors scrutinized the details of the developer’s application, identifying numerous detrimental concerns. The application was refused on the 5th September 2017, and the livelihoods of the market traders have been thankfully shielded from the developer’s ongoing assaults. The Shepherd’s Bush Market Tenants’ Association are actively seeking ways to encourage the developer to right the wrongs which have been recently caused and urged the developer to improve the market management and take care of their responsibilities to the market and tenants within. The Shepherd’s Bush Market traders wish to thank our supporters for their backing. For information regarding the Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s planning decision please click on the following link: http://public-access.lbhf.gov.uk/online-applications/files/49B621152BB8C153F03571CCC688193A/pdf/2017_01887_FUL-REFUSAL_OF_FULL_PLANNING_PERMISSION-1934572.pdf To view the Getwestlondon article “Market traders’ relief as latest Shepherd’s Bush proposal is refused” by Goolistan Cooper please click on the following link: http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/west-london-news/market-traders-relief-latest-shepherds-13639572