Plans to give Birkenhead Market traders a new home move forward
Proposals to relocate Birkenhead Market traders into a new home in the town centre have been given the green light to progress during a meeting of the council’s Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee.
Officers will now move forward at pace to develop plans to accommodate traders collectively in TJ Hughes and create a new market offer, as well as options for relocating some traders into individual retail units within the Grange Precinct where this is the preference for their particular business.
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 will save on costs of operating the current market building and at the same time enable available units within the shopping centre to be occupied.
The new way forward for the Market follows a number of meetings involving traders and members of Wirral Council’s leadership, and further engagement with traders will continue as plans develop.
Work to obtain robust costings and timelines to demolish the existing market building will now also progress, with a second phase of work then taking place to develop plans for a potential Market Square and public space on the site which could host outdoor markets and events.
The new proposal will allow the wider town centre improvement work to continue, tying into other projects planned in Birkenhead.
Leader of Wirral Council, Cllr Paula Basnett, said:
When I became Leader of Wirral Council, ensuring that we developed a viable new plan for the market, in partnership with the traders and with openness and transparency, was a top priority.
This new way forward will see traders find a new home in the heart of the town centre, helping to support the sustainability of their businesses as well as growing a new era for Birkenhead Market. I now look forward to us pushing these plans forward into reality as quickly as possible.
The committee meeting of the Economy and Regeneration and Housing Committee can be viewed on the council website alongside the agenda here.
