Agenda item

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

The report updates the Scrutiny Committee on progress with the Market Place and Underbanks Regeneration Strategy.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Nicola Turner on 0161 218 1635 or email: nicola.turner@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) updating the Scrutiny Committee on progress with the Market Place and Underbanks Regeneration Strategy.

Although significant progress had been made in the Market Place and Underbanks area over recent years as a result of dedicated partnership working from a wide range of committed stakeholders, the report highlighted that the area remained very fragile with low footfall, particularly on non-market days, issues of security and safety remained, and problems of vacant and derelict properties still existed. Awareness of the area was still low and it lacked a critical mass of shops, businesses, housing tenures or other reasons to visit.

In addition, it was recognised that an overall framework for intervention was required in order to support and deliver the strategy and outcomes for the area. To take this forward, regeneration consultants Urban Vision had been commissioned to develop a vision and an urban design plan prepared to regenerate the core Market Place and Underbanks area. In summary, the report proposed generating a critical mass of uses, activities and people by:

·         Creating destinations: things worth travelling to and staying for

·         Encouraging pedestrian and cycle through movements: A to B via the Market Place and Underbanks

·         Creating active nodes and anchors: enticing people beyond to the next street

·         Increasing a resident home audience: live/work/play

With the agreement of the Chair, various questions were submitted from market traders regarding the following issues:-

·         What would happen to market traders who were unhappy with the new location for the market

·         Whether there would be any compensation for market traders unwilling or unable to move to the new location for the market

·         The benefits of specialist traders who currently operated in the market hall

·         The effect on business for the market traders after the market was relocated

·         Who would run the market in the future

·         Details of the arrangements for the operation of the market after it was relocated

·         Whether the Council would pay for the relocation costs to the new location of the market

·         Whether the Council would have a budget to promote the new location for the market until it was firmly established,

·         Whether all the traders in the current market hall would be guaranteed units at the new location for the market

·         The opening and closing times of the market after it was relocated

·         Whether there would be improved signage to the new location for the market

·         How the negative issues highlighted in the report would affect the market and how the Council would support market traders

·         Why market traders had not been consulted on the report

·         The provision of a lift or escalator from Warren Street to the current market.

The Executive Councillor (Thriving Economy) responded to the questions.

With the agreement of the Chair, Mr John O’Mara was permitted to address the Scrutiny Committee on behalf of market traders.

The following comments were made/issues raised by market traders:-

·         The market traders in general were not opposed to the relocation of the market, just the uncertainty as a result of the proposals and the need to find the right location for the market and the right package of proposals.

·         The traders requested that they be allowed to run the market.

·         The original idea for ‘Foodie Friday’ from market traders was for it to run from lunchtime on Fridays through to 7.00pm. It was Council Officers who had decided to start the event at 5.00pm at a time when the market was shut and market traders had been working since early in the morning. The perception amongst market traders was that the Council had agreed to events being carried out that benefited the Market Place, not the Market traders.

·         The Vintage Village took place on a day of the week when the market was not open.

The following comments were made/issues raised by the Members and Officers:-

·         The market ‘offer’ was the primary issue to be considered and the products that were on offer.

·         The market had been running at a financial loss for some time and needed to change. Footfall to the Market Place and trading levels on the Outdoor Market continued to decline.

·         The market could not be considered in isolation from the major regeneration initiatives in the town centre and the need to encourage businesses into the town centre.

·         The key to the success of the proposals was working in partnership with the market traders.

·         The cost of an escalator from Warren Street to the Market Place would be prohibitive.

·         The Council’s proposals contained an element of risk.

·         More residential properties were required in the vicinity of the Market Place to facilitate the regeneration of the area.

·         The aim would be to ensure that the Market Place was ‘family friendly’.

RESOLVED – That the Executive Meeting be advised that this Scrutiny  Committee supports the Market Place and Underbanks Regeneration Strategy.