The Old Laundry Site Area is a spread of land, which is owned by the Hammersmith & Fulham Council, and is located to the rear of Pennard Road W12, and along side the much loved, 105-year-old, Shepherd’s Bush Market.
In December 2010, whilst the Hammersmith & Fulham Council was under the Conservative constituency and leadership of Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh, the Council chose to offer an Options Agreement to a developer, to acquire options on the Old Laundry Site Area. Further to this, the Hammersmith & Fulham Council signed an Indemnity Agreement in February 2013 with the developer.
Options Agreement - 22nd December 2010:-
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2ohjjubth43yerk/Options Agreement - 22nd December 2010-compressed.pdf?dl=0
February 2013 - CPO Indemnity Agreement:-
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qpe4m8g5986bbpd/February 2013 - CPO Indemnity Agreement -compressed copy.pdf?dl=0
The developer, known as Orion Shepherd’s Bush (Market) Ltd. is now under the instruction of U+I Group Plc.
The actions of the Hammersmith & Fulham Council led to the developer threatening the livelihoods of the traders of Shepherd’s Bush Market.
The developer’s plans which would have caused massive disruption and detriment to many of the small local businesses, were stopped by the Shepherd’s Bush Market Tenant’s Association (SBMTA), in the Court of Appeal, in 2016.
Court of Appeal Ruling on 18th March 2016:-
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gu67tnbfpm0bev0/Horada v SSCLG Ruling 18.03.2016.pdf?dl=0
Court of Appeal Ruling on 22nd July 2016:-https://www.dropbox.com/s/eiyk0ix4k6u3zuf/Horada%20v%20SSCLG%20Ruling%2022.07.2016.pdf?dl=0
Although the developer’s plans had been blocked and the livelihoods of the market traders saved, the developer has since held stewardship over Shepherd’s Bush Market and has exercised, what is viewed as, uncooperative and unprofessional behaviour upon the Shepherd’s Bush Market traders.
On Wednesday 19thJune 2019 a paper will be available to view online on the Hammersmith & Fulham Council website.
It is understood that the paper will propose for the Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s committee to consider as to whether the Council will entertain the possibility of permitting the Old Laundry Site Area to be developed by the same developer who has caused so much stress and grief to the market community since 2014.
The Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s committee will cast their view on the paper on Monday 1stJuly 2019.
There is serious concern that history could repeat itself, and if the Labour Council permits the same land to become available to the same developer, then this may resurrect and repeat the nightmare, which the Market community had previously suffered and fought against.
The developer has already acquired the neighbouring St Mungo’s Broadway drug and rehabilitation centre, and has expressed the unpopular wish to remove the centre and convert this area into a commercial block.
There is fear that if the developer can persuade the Hammersmith & Fulham Council to allow them to build on the Laundry Site Area, then the developer will attempt to remove the traders and businesses on the south east half of Shepherd’s Bush Market and ruin the linear character of the Shepherd’s Bush Market by attempting to merge and exploit the Market into the neighbouring areas which may consist of the Old Laundry Site Area, the St Mungo’s Broadway Centre and some of Goldhawk Road’s local shops.
The question to be asked in the next coming two weeks is will the present Labour Council repeat the mistakes of the previous Conservative Hammersmith & Fulham Council?
Much time, effort and money has been spent in order to protect the Shepherd’s Bush Market businesses, and this should not be disregarded despite any profit that the Hammersmith & Fulham Council may gain from their present ownership of the Old Laundry Site Area land.
The Shepherd’s Bush Market Tenants’ Association implore all to write to the Leader of the Hammersmith & Fulham Council, Councillor Stephen Cowen (Hammersmith & Fulham Council, Town Hall, King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9JU) immediately and press the importance that the Hammersmith & Fulham Council must be mindful of the repercussions that their actions could cause. The Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s priority must be in cradling the small businesses in and around Shepherd’s Bush Market, and not to developers maximising their profits.
The Shepherd’s Bush Market Tenants’ Association (SBMTA)