Market plans to be discussed at Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee
Available retail units in the town centre could be used for Birkenhead Market traders under new proposals to be considered by councillors.
The option follows a number of meetings involving traders from the Market and members of Wirral Council’s leadership.
These have included tours of the Grange precinct and available units in the shopping centre.
A meeting of the Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee will be asked to look at the proposal when its members meet on November 18.
The committee will be formally asked to obtain robust costings and timelines for the demolition of the current Birkenhead Market and to accommodate traders collectively or individually within external parts and available units of the Grange precinct.
Under the plans, and subject to agreed terms and conditions, traders would be offered new tenancies within units which are available to be occupied in the Town Centre.
This would allow for the demolition of the existing Market building and the site potentially be used for alternative options including an outdoor market and public space, including the potential for a Market Square.
The report says that relocating traders to units in the Grange shopping centre will save on current costs of operating the current market building and at the same time enable available units within the shopping centre to be occupied.
It will also enable the planned demolition of the current Birkenhead Market building to continue, which will allow the wider town centre improvement work to continue.
Previous options to use the demolished site of the former House of Fraser for the new Birkenhead Market were halted due to increased costs. A subsequent proposal for the former Argos at Princes Pavement to become the new market for Birkenhead was halted earlier this year while discussion with traders took place.
The agenda for the meeting of the Economy and Regeneration and Housing Committee is on the council website which also includes a link to allow viewing of live webcast of the meeting’s proceedings, which is also archived for access afterwards.
