Controversial historic market plans given go ahead

Controversial plans for a multi-million pound market redevelopment have been approved, despite the concerns of traders.

Those behind the proposals for Cambridge's market square hope it will have a mix of permanent and removable stalls, enabling events to be held, and claim its current cobbled surface is slippery when wet.

But some stallholders told the BBC they fear for the future, with one stating most of the current traders "will be gone" if the plans went through.

Cambridge City Council's planning committee voted to approve the application by three votes to two.

The plans were back before the planning committee after being deferred before May's local elections, when councillors had concerns there were "too many loose ends" and it appeared "a bit rushed".

At that point the plans included 96 stalls - 44 permanent and 52 removable - but in the new version 10 removable market stalls have been replaced with 12 permanent ones.

Traders are worried about business rates for the new permanent kiosks, and the Labour council leader Katie Thornburrow acknowledged last week they needed a "resolution".

Stallholders have suggested a third of the market being permanent kiosks, a third of the market being traditional, open, versatile stalls - as is the case now - and a third being removable gazebos.

Thornburrow told Wednesday's committee should consider this suggestion as part of planning conditions.

During a discussion about whether traders had been consulted on the kiosks, a trader left the meeting stating they were "never, ever asked".

The meeting heard one of the issues on the current site was anti-social behaviour, while Historic England has said there would be heritage "harm", but have not formally objected to the scheme.

Liberal Democrat councillor Karen Young said the current market was "shabby, unattractive, wheelchair users, I'm sure, just don't go" and that there was a "huge public benefit to this" redevelopment.

Green councillor Kathryn Fisher said the plans were a "watered-down soup that pleases nobody".

As well as voting to approve the applications, the committee asked the council to "do everything they can" to work with traders.

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