THE go-ahead was given by planners today for Great Homer Street market to move to a new home in nearby Dryden Street.
The city council’s Planning Committee rejected a call from Liberal Cllr Steve Radford for a site visit. This was after some traders said the new home would lead to many job losses because there would not be enough stalls to accommodate all of the traders.
But Cllr Malcolm Kennedy, the council’s cabinet member for regeneration said the entire £150m Project Jennifer regeneration scheme for Everton could be jeopardised if the market switch was delayed.
It was revealed at the meeting, for the first time, there is every likelihood the Dryden Street site would become the permanent home for the 180-year old ‘Greatie’ even though the application was for a temporary relocation.
£2.2 million
Cllr Kennedy told the committee the Project Jennifer proposed for Everton was different, and smaller than what was envisaged before the financial crash.
He praised developers St Modwen and the City Council for sticking with the project despite the changed financial climate.
But he said it was now proposed to spend up to £2.2m on the new market, with room for future expansion.
Everton councillor Jane Corbett told the committee she backed the scheme, saying it would create 500 new jobs in what was one of the country’s most deprived wards.
Malcolm KennedyTraders from the Saturday market on the east side of Great Homer Street said they backed Project Jennifer but opposed the move to Dryden Street.In total the space available for market trading will be 30% less than that currently available, threatening jobs.
They said each of the proposed Dryden Street stalls will be just 10ft by 10ft, far too small for many current traders who have stalls at least 20ft long and up to 100ft.
Their spokesman Billy Darwen called for a site visit so councillors could see for themselves the dilemma they faced.
Later he said: “We put up a fair fight at the committee and made our views known, but it seems to me minds were already made up. I feel for the traders who will lose their jobs as a result of the reduction in size of the market by as much as 40%.”
Later the city council said in a statement: “The move to Dryden Street is aimed at delivering a better quality market facility, complementing the wider development at Great Homer Street, which starts on-site this Spring. Planning permission has been granted on a temporary basis, for a period of four years. The Council is proposing to put forward a further planning application in the future to make the move permanent.”
Cllr Kennedy said he strongly believed the Dryden Street scheme is the right one to build a successful future for the market.
'Challenging'
He said: “The new market has been developed following consultation with traders. We’ve worked hard to respond to their views and deliver their requirements, particularly around the size and number of stalls.We have been in constant communication with traders and customers over these plans, for many months.
"It has been challenging, because when working with such a large number of traders, it is difficult to please everyone, particularly when they often have differing views and competing demands.
“We carefully considered proposals by a small number of traders who wishdc to remain on the existing site, to create a split market, on both sides of the road. However, this would cause major management, cost and parking issues, as well as potential health and safety concerns. We will continue to work with traders to explore how we can further improve the Dryden Street scheme, so that it fully meets the needs of all the traders.”
The Dryden Street market will have 78 indoor stalls, 178 outdoor stalls, 163 car parking spaces and 61 van parking spaces..
“Most importantly, we have listened to the views of the market traders and customers in developing this scheme, and we have worked extremely hard to deliver plans which respond to their needs.”
Joy Bowes, local market trader and representative of the indoor market, told the committee she fully supported the move to Dryden Street.
She said the traders used to all share the same site until nine years ago when the indoor St Martin’s market had to move across the road.
She said: “The new market will bring all of the traders under one roof and in my opinion is well positioned. I’m convinced it will be a success.”
Other traders took a more gloomy view saying they feared the move to Dryden Street poses a risk to the future viability of the market.
