The site does need intervention and trading conditions certainly need to be improved. Yet, what escapes any sense is the cheer size of the new plan that will stand out from its neighbours for all the wrong reasons: the proposed building is large and in a grand "town-house" style, when the surrounding buildings are small and artisanal, there are no provisions for the traders to remain on site but instead there are two shop floors and a very large kitchen in the new very large basement - which looks like they will try and sneak through a change of use to A3 in the future. With the disappearance of yet another Arcade and no provision to keep it,  this plan amounts to another blow to the character of the Portobello Market. 

 

What is at stake here is the Portobello Market as we know and love. At this rate it will be a matter of a few short years before the whole of the Portobello Road becomes like Oxford Street. The Council ought to do better to protect this unique cultural and economic asset. Portobello is the 5th tourist destination in London  and tourists do not come here to look at the same shop windows that they can see in their own hight streets of the globalised economy. 

 

 

 

 

You can find the Planning Application - Documents and Drawings here.

 

If you want the RBKC to know your views on this application you can comment it here.

 

If you haven't yet, do consider joining the Save the Portobello Road Market  campaign on Facebook

 

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