Plans for Norwich Market revamp with Italian-style 'piazzas'
Three-quarters of a million pounds has been spent on the initial design work alone
City Hall is concocting plans for a major revamp of Norwich Market, spending three-quarters of a million on the initial design work alone.
Norwich City Council is exploring options for the future of the market, which could include the introduction of new shopping zones and Italian-style piazzas.
While the authority has ruled out relocating it, various improvement works are on the cards that could be “transformational” for traders and customers.
The Labour-run cabinet at City Hall will meet this week to approve a £740,000 spend on putting together detailed designs and covering initial construction costs.
Norwich Market has been at its current home at the heart of the city for more than 900 years and is one of the oldest and largest open-air markets in the UK.
The last major shake-up was in 2006 when temporary structures were replaced with the metal-roofed permanent stalls we have today.
Despite the ongoing success of the market, officials at City Hall say various issues are preventing the attraction from reaching its “full potential”.
These include aging infrastructure, lacking features for modern use and environmental nuisances that trouble visitors, such as a large population of pigeons and seagulls.
Officials at Norwich City Council have set out plans to make extensive improvements to market infrastructure.
They also hope to introduce “new experiences” at the market, though exactly what this means is currently a mystery.
Initial proposals outline the potential to create small ‘piazzas’ within the market, which would enable the creation of distinct “zones” and perhaps new opportunities for trading.
The ambitious plans also set out a vision to “enmesh” the market with its surrounding streets, but it is not clear exactly how this would be achieved.
Members of the cabinet will meet next week to discuss funding related to the project.
This includes £260,000 to fund design and construction costs of smaller-scale improvements, such as addressing environmental nuisances like pigeons, as well as new CCTV systems and the upgrade of awnings and roller shutters.
More ambitious designs would be funded by a further £480,000 from council reserves.