Plans to pull down the iconic market canopy in Ladbroke Grove have been shelved following a public consultation.
Westway Trust had wanted to replace the structure which houses the vintage clothing market with a building that would still house traders but include a rooftop garden and restaurant, as part of its Portobello Village project.
The announcement was made by the charity, which owns and runs 23 acres of land below the A40 elevated motorway, and welcomed by opponents of the plans.
The trust is looking to enhance Portobello Green, Portobello Green Arcade, Acklam Village, and Acklam Road Car Park, near the junction of Westway and Portobello Road, making it more accessible and inviting to the local community while improving footfall for nearby businesses.
More than 700 people responded to the consultation with feedback overwhelmingly against the canopy proposal.
It also plans to turn Portobello Green Arcade inside out, allowing shoppers to access the businesses from the road without having to step into the arcade.
The Portobello Village project will also see improvements to the green, making it safer, more inviting to families and easier to access.
Westway Trust believes the overall project will create 150-200 new jobs and offer flexible workspaces for small and start-up businesses.
Addressing the controversial canopy plan, the charity says in a newsletter to key stakeholders and residents that the proposals “were not well supported”.
It goes on: “However, there were many different views on what to do with the canopy area ranging from leaving it exactly as it is, replacing the canopy with a more modern version, to calls for an international design competition.
“What’s important is the space continues to support the vintage clothing market, as it has done for many years. So we will continue to talk to the local community and the market traders and think again about how we can best improve that area without changing it character.
"We are striving to get a proposal that maximises social and economic benefit with a scheme that is financially sound.”
But it is unable to heed the wishes of the community on the homes planned for Acklam Road car park. Feedback showed the community in favour of seeing affordable property included among the 13 homes, but the charity insist this is not possible. It says: “We recognise people’s concerns, but on such a small scale scheme, special rented housing is not viable.”
Westway23 was set up earlier this year in protest at much of the “gentrification plans” of Westway Trust.
Chairman Niles Hailstones said: “It’s good news, it’s victory for the community in terms of taking control of what’s happening in our area. It shows we have a voice.”
Over the summer it held a demonstration against Westway Trust plans, and says the charity’s focus on green issues and the environment was also down to pressure from the group.
He continued: “There’s still a lot of issues that we must focus on and deal with. Maxilla [Children’s Centre] has closed and the stables are due to close.
“But this is an important victory. The protest and fightback has changed their perspective. This is not a conversation we would have had six months ago.”
Westway Trust is particularly keen to increase custom on non-market days, when some shops opt to remain shut because of lack of trade.
A spokesman said of the Portobello Village plans: “It is generally recognised that improvements are needed if the area is to trade successfully into the future. The area generally has experienced a lack of recent investment.
"The existing canopy area, the Acklam Road area and Portobello Green are all underused, especially outside of market days, and provide poor public spaces that experience problems of anti-social behaviour.”
