The Assistant Director for Property and Regeneration presented the report of the Director of Regeneration and Place. The report noted that the current Birkenhead Market Hall was an aging building, operating inefficiently and the Council had been considering options to re-locate the market to an alternative market site for several years. The report noted that at a meeting of the Committee in December 2023, the Committee had agreed the recommendations of a report to progress the development of the design of the Princes Pavement option to RIBA Stage 3, appoint a market consultant to further develop the market operating model and then bring back the outcome of this work to the Committee for a decision. The report set out other options that had been considered in the past, discounting them for practical reasons. The Committee had also reviewed the capital cost of re-locating the existing market to a new purpose-built market hall on the site of the former House of Fraser Store (HOF). The capital cost of delivery for the HOF proposal was £31.6 million based on July 2023 figures and there was an emerging funding gap which could have a significant impact on the Council’s financial position. Furthermore, Policy and Resources Committee on 17 January 2024 resolved amongst other matters to reduce the capital budget for the new market project making the HOF proposal unaffordable. The report made recommendations regarding the feasibility of the House of Fraser options.

In recognition of recent engagement with Birkenhead Market Tenants Association, Committee also agreed that further feasibility work would be undertaken on two options, the St John’s Pavement option and a refurbishment of part of the existing Birkenhead Market site. The Committee also agreed to pause market development work on the House of Fraser site whilst this work was undertaken. Issues associated with the development of the HOF site for the purpose of a market were reported, including its financial viability.

The report considered by the Committee at this meeting reported back on those details.

Raymond Linch of Market North West Ltd, who had been employed as a market design consultant, attended the meeting and gave some personal background, noting that he had helped develop around 300 markets in the UK and had worked around markets for most of his life. He stated that looking ahead 10 to 20 years was important to how market design would be led. He noted that there was a smaller cohort of shoppers using markets currently and that it was important to try and increase appeal to a wider base of shoppers without alienating the current base. He summarised the findings of the report regarding the other potential sites for a market in Birkenhead and explained why they had been discounted in the recommendations due to size, logistics and money. He noted that the designs shown within the report were not final and that further consultation with traders would be made before a final design was agreed.

Members discussed the findings of the report, with some  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76