Leicester Market Redevelopment – Our Position
Consultation on this crucial redevelopment closes on Monday, December 9th.
Participate in the Consultation Here
The Leicester Civic Society (LCS) previously supported a regeneration plan that opened up the marketplace, restoring its historic appearance and relocating the outdoor market to Green Dragon Square or the anticipated Cank Street gap.
Below is our position on the latest compromise proposal.
Leicester Marketplace
LCS Position: Object
Rationale:
As well as the Grade II* Corn Exchange building at its heart, Leicester’s marketplace is flanked by high-quality listed buildings on its east and north sides. Their lack of uniformity and diversity of architectural styles provide interest and wonder – if you step back and look.
The same applies to the Corn Exchange itself—splendid in its newly opened vista with views from Market Place Approach (SE) and the corner of Victoria Parade and Cheapside.
All, of course, are set within the Market Place Conservation Area and part of a wider network of listed buildings and CAs.
The removal of the old market stalls from the square has provided an opportunity – to celebrate the character, heritage and beauty of Leicester. Merely reshuffling the stalls back onto the NE corner of the square, with little evidence of a design or urban placemaking rationale, will neither preserve nor enhance the conservation area and negatively affect the listed buildings (including the Corn Exchange) that make this area so special.
Leicester Civic Society recognises the importance of the market itself and the views of the stallholders. Surely, however, this is the opportunity to provide a better solution: one that generates long-term viability for the market itself. Several studies have explored how to achieve a successful market in the 21st century (https://www.localgov.co.uk/Five-ways-markets-can-spark-the-regeneration-of-our-towns-and-cities/53259).
The key to success is creating a sense of destination. As such, any ‘new’ market needs to be integrated within a comprehensive urban design masterplan – not just parked somewhere for expediency. The space in front of the Corn Exchange, Green Dragon Square, the breakthrough into Cank Street, etc, all need to knit into a clear vision of destination placemaking, legibility and urban articulation.
The new space created in front of the Corn Exchange could be the beating heart of the city – aiding legibility and providing a core focus that ultimately benefits the surrounding businesses in Gallowtree Gate, Granby Street and the Lanes. Even potentially enticing people beyond the mercantile walls of the Highcross Centre. But to do that, the space needs excitement, activity and, as we’ve said, vision. The proposed ‘compromise’ is exactly that – a lack of vision that will ultimately disappoint everyone – including the market stallholders.
These comments do not dispute the opportunity for some of the market presence in the area in front of the Corn Exchange (e.g. special event temporary markets – imagine the magic of a Christmas village here, for example). But that needs to be more and better than just a few permanent sheds.
We are more than willing to work further with the City Council to collaboratively build that vision and the opportunities.
I can’t help thinking that David Shelly has suggested a good idea of an Architectural Competition to find a solution worthy of such an important site within the City Centre!
The design needs to be of the highest quality in order to attract visitors and local people back into the City Centre, which has become tired, tatty and soul-less!
The City Council must also recognise that banning the car from the City centre, giving unfair advantage to out of town shopping malls , has contributed to its spectacular decline, and should reconsider removing the vast swathe of needless double yellow lines which suffocate any vestiges of a vibrant economy!
As a life long user of the market this is simply appalling. It completely destroys the essence of what that space was.
Pound shillings and pence dictated the design….. not thought for the traders, people whom use or the historic importance of this to Leicesters heritage.
The clue is in the name, Market square, the business,s grew up around the market place, as well as the CORN Exchange, there was nothing wrong with the market as it was, other than refurbing, where the market is know, is where any open space for the public should be, the back of the corn exhange was to be used for televising events , like LCFC, Tigers etc, creating business for the local quality pubs, and intergrating into the Cathedral Quarter, just put it back and market it for what it is, a MARKET, and stop wasting our money on useless meetings. And most of all keep promises, and control the drunks, druggies, shoplifters etc that have scared people away with real security and policing.
I couldn’t agree more with LCS’s appraisal of the proposed market stall “apology.” This opinion is as much about the character of the proposed car-port market as concerning any understanding of how this historic space underpins the entire city centres commercial apppeal. The latest proposal seems clueless in terms of how to mesh and integrate with the surrounding thoroughfares and the fact that the arcades that lead onto the marketplace have become post apocalypticas as a consequence of the collapse of passing trade illustrates this point clearly enough. Nobody seems to grasp that the market was the beating heart of this city. It’s vacancy has left the town bereft of purpose and out of town shopping malls, that are far more convenient for most, have made the city centre 2nd choice as a shopping destination. The death of M&S is no doubt a consequence of this and the dominoes will continue to fall until the market is reestablished as an IMPROVEMENT on the previous – something that shouldn’t be difficult given its previously gloomy, heavy handed, industrial shed aesthetic (one that this latest proposal attempts to emulate, for some bizarre reason, albeit pathetically). In my opinion, the architects given the task of placemaking, are simply out of their depth. Why not launch a competition and look at a selection of proposals, choosing one that will guarantee the delivery of something Leicester can be proud of and mark the beginning of a real regenerative movement?
Put the market back like you first planed, this is the uk. It’s not a European country. Stop trying to make Leicester something it’s not. It will just end up with a dirty chewing gum stained druggy infested concrete mess with a potted tree in the corner. Probably with just eat delivery bikers in the way of anyone trying to go to what is left of the market. Surrounded by all the boarded up shops who cares if a building looks nice if it’s empty. Along with a pub where no one with any sense or money wants to go near a weather spoons! If you really set on this idea . What is England known for? Being GREEN! Make it so trees plants maybe water . ban e-bikes and the like. But concrete is just a lazy boring and HOT . Have you heard of climate change? Think ahead get trees in there !’