Westway Trust will attend a public meeting next week arranged by a group set up to oppose many of the charity's plans for the Notting Hill area.
Chief Executive Angela McConville and other members of staff will attend the event organised by Westway23 on November 11.
The group was set up earlier this year to fight what it describes as the Trust’s “radical gentrification” of the 23 acres of land below the A40 motorway which it manages, as well as the loss of social amenities and spaces.
Westway23 calls itself as a coalition of communities “set up to challenge the loss of community spaces, and the unscrupulous property development that is changing the face of the world famous Portobello Market and eroding the character of the neighbourhood”.
Looking ahead to the meeting, which is being held at 6pm at The Tabernacle community arts centre, Powis Square, the group says: “The community aims to hold the Westway Trust accountable for their misadministration of 23 acres of land that was bequeathed to the local people in trust after the controversial building of the Westway Flyover that displaced hundreds of local families in the 1960s/70s.”
Among those who will speak will be Sarah Tuvey, who runs West London Stables, which is due to close in the New Year.
“Over the past year, Notting Hill has witnessed the displacement of long-standing community provisions and resources as the leases to established community groups have been terminated and re-let to commercial outlets.
“Frustration is building within the community due to a plethora of recent closures, including that of a local children’s centre, an arts centre that provided one of the last social hubs for the community, and a much loved pop-up cinema which created an avenue for local and international film-makers to showcase their work for the past five years.
“Horse stables which serve the socially deprived and children with learning disabilities are to be evicted in January despite recent protests.”
The meeting begins at 7pm.
