Market Hall needs a £1m refit

Newtown’s historic Market Hall is in desperate need of refurbishment and will be hoping that a successful bid for BIG Lottery funds this month will rejuvenate its fortunes.

 

County and Town Councillors have become increasingly annoyed by the lack of support and work on the Grade II town centre building and its cause has not been made easier by the confusion over who is actually responsible.

 

But the issue was discussed today at the full Powys County Council Board meeting which revealed that a figure of around £1 million would be required to rejuvenate the ailing facility.

 

County Councillor Russell George has accused PCC of leaving traders in the dark while Town Mayor, Cllr Joy Jones, said that the building’s custodians must “pull their finger out”.

 

 “What frustrates me is that the Council’s board had resolved in 2008 not to sell the Market Hall, the reason for that decision being that the Board would prefer to retain the Indoor Market,” said Cllr Russell George who officially tabled the questions to PCC today. “If the Council had decided to retain the Market Hall and keep the indoor Market, then surely there should have been investment and a vision for its future by now?

“The hall has needed urgent repair works for many years, and that is why I have asked the question what investment has been provided to ensure the growth and future of Newtown’s Indoor Market. As the building is a grade 2 listed building, I have also asked what investment is planned for the necessary repair works.”
 

But PCC replied that a survey in 2007 showed then that an investment of £749,000 was required to address the immediate problems. That figure is now believed to be closer to £1m.

 

Councillor George submitted his written questions to the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration but Mayor Cllr Jones says she will be surprised if it makes any difference.

 

“We’ve been down this road before and they still don’t do anything,” she said. “It needs resolving urgently. Powys must pull its finger out because every day wasted will see the costs of repairs go up. We must all support our market traders and the hall which is an important part of the town’s history.”

 

Powys County Council insisted in its reply to Cllr George’s questions that it remains “committed towards a successful outcome for the future of Newtown Market Hall”.

 

The responsible body is currently finalising a re-application to the BIG Lottery for funding.

 

 

 

 

Since the Board resolved to not sell Newtown Indoor Market Hall in 2008 with the reason for that decision being that the Board would prefer to retain the Indoor Market what support and investment has the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration provided to ensure the growth and future of Newtown’s Indoor Market? As Newtown Indoor Market is a grade 2 listed building, what investment is planned for the necessary repair works? Would the Portfolio Holder agree to setting out a vision of how he intends to regenerate the Market Hall as an Indoor Market?

 

 

Newtown Market Hall does not sit within the Regeneration Portfolio nor does responsibility for Indoor or Outdoor Markets, and in respect of these elements of the question more detailed response may be better given by the relevant Portfolio Holders, Cllrs. Evans and Hayes.

 

However with consideration for the potential offered by the building in terms of regeneration, we do strongly recognise that the Market is important to the own. Although highlighted as a potential project within the Severn Valley Regeneration Scheme it was not successful in achieving financial support under the current Phase 1 Severn Valley Regeneration Programme.

 

PCC was approached by Powys Food and Land Trust (FLT) to acquire this building through a community asset transfer from PCC to a community organisation - Newtown Market Hall Building Preservation Trust. The proposed business model provided an exciting concept and one that had potential to take the Market Hall forward and at the same time make a substantial contribution to regeneration in Newtown and in particular the Newtown Town Centre. At this stage the Regeneration Service at Powys County Council became fully involved to provide assistance and endeavour to secure this exciting regeneration project.

 

In relation to this proposal the FLT submitted an application to the BIG Lottery Community Asset Transfer programme. The application was for grant aid toward capital improvements to the building and 3 year revenue funding to assist to create community businesses that would contribute to the long term sustainability of the Market Hall. This application was not successful. A significant reason being the lack of clarity of the funding package for the proposed capital project. However, the applicant was encouraged by the BIG Lottery to reapply into this scheme. As a result the Food and Land Trust contacted PCC to seek both funding from the local authority and advice to access other external grants.

 

Since this project began PCC have introduced a Corporate Asset Transfer (CAT) Policy. This new policy sets out an assessment process for potential transfer of Powys property to the community. This process requires an Expression of Interest from an ‘applicant’ organisation – after assessment, potentially viable projects are invited to submit a more detailed business case, which is further assessed and provides the basis of a decision to transfer or not to transfer a property – the terms of any transfer will then be agreed. Portfolio holders for Property and Regeneration have worked closely to support the Food and Land Trust proposal through this process and it has been agreed that as the Newtown Market Hall project was under development before the Powys CAT Policy was adopted that the EOI is deemed to have been completed.

 

However, to assist to more clearly understand the project and assess better its viability the Food and Land Trust have been asked to complete the Business Case Support to the FLT to take this and other funding applications forward has been given by both regeneration officers and the external funding team.

 

The Severn Valley Project Officer is currently working to support the FLT with both the Powys CAT business case which will be used to support a re-application to the BIG Lottery in early March as well as providing a business case for consideration by WEFO identifying the Market Hall as a priority project for any resource that may come available to the Competitiveness Fund from underspends elsewhere.

 

Both myself as Portfolio Holder and the Regeneration Service remain committed to trying to work towards finding a successful solution for the Newtown Market Hall, a solution that will make a significant impact on regeneration in Newtown and in particular in Newtown Town Centre.

 

 

Structural problems relating to the integrity of the roof were first noted in February 2005 and duly reported to the Shire Committee in April 2005 who agreed to allocate £42k of capital funding towards the work.

 

A subsequent consultants report in September 2005 placed the cost of repairs at £75k however a Working Group established by the Shire Committee requested a further detailed structural report into more extensive repairs.

 

This structural condition survey in October 2005 costed the work at £218k. Following consideration by the Working Group and Shire Committee in July 2007, further property assessments were requested into the full refurbishment and repair of the entire market hall complex.

 

A Knight Frank report in October 2007 placed the full refurbishment costs at £749k. Later in 2007, Shire Committee and Board resolved to seek a private sector organisation to take over the property and its refurbishment liabilities.

 

Sale particulars inviting expressions of interest were duly placed early in 2008 with the deadline extended to allow the market traders themselves to seek advice on submitting their own formal interest.

 

Board considered the expressions of interest received in July 2008 along with a public petition and representation from local members. Board resolved to defer the sale of the market hall to allow the Mid Wales Food & Land Trust to develop a feasibility study and business plan for the market prior to submitting a formal bid for lottery grant funding.

 

It was at this stage that the Regeneration Service of the Authority became involved in the process as per the response of Cllr. Wynne Jones to the question raised by Cllr. George.

 

Traders have been kept up to date with developments via the formal Market Liaison Sub-Committee meetings which meets with traders under the Chairmanship of Cllr. Arwel Jones including regular updates from Cllr. Wynne Jones.

 

As stated by Cllr. Wynne Jones, the Authority, and in particular members of the Market Liaison Sub-Committee, remain committed towards a successful outcome for the future of Newtown Market Hall.