OUSTED Stanley Market could open all weekend in a new south docks home as early as the end of this month.
City Council planning officers are recommending the go-ahead for the Liverpool Heritage Market, displaced from Stanley Dock because of redevelopment plans.
And the people behind it are so confident of getting the green light that they are already advertising it on hoardings.
The site of the new market with a mix of indoor and outdoor stalls
Many of the new Heritage Market stalls will front onto Sefton Street, right opposite Brunswick Station, giving the market a much higher profile.
But the application has generated objections from residents living in luxury apartments near by.
The traders will be a blot on the landscape, says one local resident. Another argues that the market would reconfirm outside perceptions of Liverpool and its people.
The building earmarked as the new home for the market is a warehouse block with a large overhanging canopy facing the street. That will provide cover and shelter for the outdoor stalls.
On the move: Stanley
Dock MarketEven if the council's planning committee approve the plan next Tuesday, it will have to be referred to the Secretary of State, Eric Pickles, to decide if the proposal should be called in for a Government decision. This is because the empty warehouse building is earmarked for business use rather than retailing.
Permission is being sought for a market operating between 9am and 4pm on both Saturdays and Sundays, with stall holders allowed access from 5am to set up their stalls. There will be around 80 traders with a total of just over 200 stalls, and parking at the rear for more than 300 cars.
A 76-seater cafe is also proposed, but this would open seven days a week.
So far a number of comments have been submitted to the council, suggesting there will be opposition to the plan.
These include comments from residential City Quay where there are 400 apartments, expressing the view the market would affect the physical environment and the lifestyle.
Objections from nearby City
Quay residentsAnother protest is that the creation of a low-budget market is not in keeping with local culture or community. Fears have also been expressed about increased traffic along Sefton Street and existing weekend parking in Jericho Lane, Aigburth.
Local Labour councillor Steve Munby has told the planners he strongly supports the market application.
The Health and Safety Executive has told the council there are sufficient safety grounds for refusing permission. This is based on the nearby gas holder, though that is unlikely to be used in the future to store gas.
Meanwhile Merseyside Police fear crime could migrate to the market and car parking area, saying site security is paramount.
