Developing the Westway to 2020

The Trust has achieved a lot since 1971 but we now face an estate in need of regeneration. The regeneration agenda pushes in two directions. The first is in terms of looking at the development process and the potential for new building projects. The second is how we use our existing developed estate and how we utilise the Trust's existing resources to fulfil our agenda for local regeneration.

As a result we are diverting some of our existing resources in order to make short-term impacts. Historically, much of our land suffered from “dead zone” syndrome, with the land not being used to its full potential or attracting public use as was hoped.

This aspect of development is one in which the Trust can have a big impact. For this reason, we will allocate some of our regeneration efforts and resources to enhancing the existing estate. In doing so, we aim to improve levels of activity and engagement in order to make a positive impact for those who use the area and live nearby.

Bringing more art to the design

We’re committed to increasing the number of opportunities for public art to be incorporated into the development process, and enhancing existing Trust sites in this area. We remain focused on providing and maintaining quality public space and it is intended that at least some of our new developments provide cutting-edge design in a lasting, high-quality built environment.

Acklam Road and the Westbourne area

The success of Westbourne Studios gives us scope to extend the business space for creative industries up along the motorway artery, via our existing Acklam workspace, with its mix of creative businesses, to the retail trading environment of Portobello. At present this can appear a dark and forbidding zone, and although the skate park provides an outlet for young people, the operation there is not a permanent development solution.

We have a night club in the middle of the Acklam Road stretch (re-launched after refurbishment). Adjacent to this could be an ideal location for a mooted new "outdoor/indoor" youth and performance space. With careful design of a high amenity value front walling to Acklam Road, and the construction of a "bleachers" wall inside, a very flexible and low maintenance all-weather area could be added as a sustainable venue for use by local youth and community groups. Such a space could overcome the usual weak spots for such projects, i.e. revenue funding for escalating running costs, and would require a relatively small capital grant to be found, but it would need to find support within the local community. Other options included finding partners with funding to run such projects on the site or to develop buildings to house these.

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