PRESS RELEASE: (28/08/24)
Market traders and community fight back against the gentrification of 110-year-old Shepherd’s Bush market.
Friends of Shepherd’s Bush Market threaten to take the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to the High Court over a controversial decision to approve redevelopment plans for the historic London market.
Friends of Shepherd’s Bush Market issue legal warning. 8 months after controversial plans to redevelop Shepherd’s Bush Market were narrowly approved, a group representing market traders and community members has notified Hammersmith and Fulham Council of their intention to take legal action if they don’t quash the controversial decision.
In December 2023, the Council narrowly voted 3 to 2 to approve plans that will significantly impact the 110 year old market and its users. These plans include constructing a 9-story office building within the market, creating laboratory space for life science companies, and demolishing a former homeless hostel.
Market traders have warned that the plans would lead to small independent traders being pushed out by huge increases to rents and service charges, leading to the loss of the markets’ diversity and affordability for local communities.
https://www.mylondon.news/news/business/shepherds-bush-market-meron-gwiggner-28614442
Friends of Shepherd’s Bush Market’s lawyers have sent a letter arguing the Council’s decision to grant planning permission is unlawful, in that it failed to consider crucial evidence and material considerations, breached their Public Sector Equality Duty and failed to provide adequate reasons in discounting concerns. The lawyers argue the Council failed to follow their local plan, which states that any development plan for the market must ‘assist market traders so they can continue to trade and remain part of the market’.
The developer at the centre of the legal action is Yoo Capital, a real estate investment firm registered in the tax haven of Jersey.
https://opencorporates.com/companies/je/EXTUID_396142
The firm manages over £3.5 billion worth of assets across London.
https://yoocapital.com/investments/
Yoo Capital’s plans for the historic market have been consistently met with overwhelming opposition locally,
- with campaigners disrupting a planning meeting
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-67635657
- the submission of over 3,300 letters in objection
- https://actionnetwork.org/letters/call-on-sadiq-khan-to-protect-shepherds-bush-market
- and a petition signed by over 2,000
- https://www.change.org/p/call-on-sadiq-khan-to-protect-shepherd-s-bush-market
The legal letter was submitted on Thursday 22nd August, with Hammersmith and Fulham Council being notified that should they fail to respond by September 5th they will consider issuing the claim for Judicial Review at the High Court.
This is not the first time legal action has been brought over the redevelopment of the market site. In 2016 redevelopment plans were shelved following a successful Judicial Review. The judgement acknowledged the significant nature of the market to the local population, and that the livelihoods of existing traders were put at risk by the proposed development.
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2016/169.html
The legal challenge is being brought by Friends of Shepherd’s Bush Market who are working with Public Interest Law Centre.
Quote from Friends of Shepherd's Bush Market representative:
- "Tax haven registered developers Yoo Capital are interested only in extracting as much profit as they can from the site for their investors. What is really disappointing is the way that our local council is allowing a development that would offer no benefit to the community and instead would destroy the diversity and character of Shepherd’s Bush Market. The planning system, which was designed to give people a say in the future of their local area, has been captured by private speculators. Independent traders, residents and the community have been systematically ignored and dismissed. As market traders and community members, we believe that the planning officers misled the councillors on the Planning and Development Control Committee and that LBHF have not upheld their Public Sector Equality Duty. We want our council to stand with local people and reverse this planning permission.”
Quote from Holly Ahom, paralegal at Public Interest Law Centre:
- “PILC are proud to support and represent Friends of Shepherd’s Bush Market on this important challenge. Being born and raised in Shepherd’s Bush I have been lucky enough to experience the Market as a cultural hub, central to the livelihood of its community for decades. This is why it is so important that Hammersmith and Fulham Council act lawfully when considering the future of these spaces.”
Quote from Imogen Tranchell on behalf of Protect Shepherd’s Bush Market:
- “Yoo Capital’s redevelopment would destroy the character of one of London’s most important traditional retail markets. Shepherd’s Bush Market has huge importance for a diverse range of communities across West London, providing food, clothing and household goods that cannot be found at such affordable prices elsewhere.The fact that Hammersmith and Fulham Council ignored evidence and misrepresented concerns to serve the interests of billionaire developers is not only a moral disgrace but unlawful. The Council must now do the right thing and quash the planning permission.”
Contact:
For media enquiries please contact Mr Jake Simms,
Email: jakesimms@hotmail.co.uk,
Tel: 07428818128.
Spokespeople are available for broadcast interviews.
Notes for editors
'Friends of Shepherd’s Bush Market' is a group of market traders and community members working together to protect the long-term future of Shepherd’s Bush Market. It is the leading representative group of market traders.
The Public Interest Law Centre’s Gentrification Project helps communities to access legal justice in the class-based transformation of urban space.
Protect Shepherd’s Bush Market are a campaign group who have led opposition to Yoo Capital’s planning application
Photos are available here
The legal letter sent to Hammersmith and Fulham Council may be available on request.