Plans for a brand new market in Caerphilly have been unveiled as part of £50m plans to regenerate its town centre. The proposals, revealed on Tuesday October 11 by Caerphilly County Borough Council, will see a new market built on land at Park Lane near the town's high street.
The plans comprise 28 new small-scale commercial units including seven new bars and restaurants, space for 15 ‘pop-up’ market stalls for monthly markets or festivals, space for outdoor music and events and covered ‘market-hall’ style external seating areas. The council said the proposals would put the town's market in a more prominent area than its current location on Pentrebane Street and "put Caerphilly on the map."
Earlier this year it was revealed that Caerphilly's 100-year old indoor market building will be purchased by the council and redeveloped into a mixed-use space including flats and offices. It drew mixed reactions from some of the market's long-running traders, one of whom said at the time: "'If this does shut, I'm gone. I wouldn't do this again and it's gutting."
Read more: Caerphilly Indoor Market to close and be turned into office space and flats
Both the demolition of the existing market and the new market development are part of the council's plan to regenerate the town centre in the next 15 years. This includes the £50m Caerphilly 2035 programme and will see a new boutique hotel, leisure centre, £30m station and new visitor centre at the castle. Work has already begun on several projects and it's anticipated the new market, which will include the site of the recently-demolished former Specsavers building, would open in the summer of 2023.
Leader of council Cllr Sean Morgan said the new market would "help breathe new life into the town and forms part of the Caerphilly 2035 Masterplan which will help transform this key strategic town centre over the coming years.
“The proposed closure of the privately owned Market Hall at Pentrebane Street will result in the creation of this new, fit for purpose market development at a more prominent site," he said. "This will also facilitate the delivery of a new mixed-use development on Pentrebane Street which will provide much-needed new homes and new commercial and retail space on the ground floor.”
Deputy leader of Council Cllr Jamie Pritchard added: "The new market proposal will support local traders in growing and expanding their businesses whilst also providing employment opportunities. Located on the pedestrian thoroughfare between the transport interchange and the castle, the market will be in a key position to attract visitors to the town, helping put Caerphilly on the map as an exciting and vibrant destination in south Wales."
A planning application for the new market is due to be submitted for consideration and a public consultation has been launched to seek views on the proposals. You can find the survey here.
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