The 109-year-old market in West London will be getting a major makeover
The redevelopment of Shepherd’s Bush Market, which runs between Uxbridge Road and Goldhawk Road, has been a hot topic in the area for a while now. Previous plans for the site have collapsed amidst opposition from traders and earlier in December, a council committee meeting on the most recent proposals had to be abandoned after protestors from the Protect Shepherd’s Bush Market group disrupted proceedings. But following a vote on 20th December, plans put forward by Yoo Capital (also behind the redevelopment of Olympia), which included an upgrade of the market and construction of 40 new homes and a new commercial building with a life science incubator for Imperial College, were approved by Hammersmith & Fulham council.
Yoo Capital insists that the market needs the investment to survive but the plans have not gone down well with some locals and traders – they claim that gentrification of the market will result in rent increases, meaning that many traders will be pushed out. Following the council vote, Protect Shepherd’s Bush Market made the following statement on X:
“Tonight’s vote to waive through the gentrification of Shepherd’s Bush Market is a shameful decision to side with corporate greed. Labour councillors asked performative questions about gentrification, trader retention and arch disrepair only to vote the application through. The Council have sided with the developer and ignored community and trader concerns for 18 months. Tonight just 3 councillors voted to approve an application which will push out traders and destroy the market’s diversity and character. We will continue to fight this application and the rampant gentrification it represents.”