Decision day looms for market move

END of the line . . . fixed stalls behind Tommyfield Market Hall will be demolished

The final hurdle for the relocation of Oldham’s market stalls on to town centre streets could soon be cleared.

An application to site up to 41 new stalls, which will be put up and taken down every market day, on Albion Street and Curzon Street, goes before the Licensing Panel on Tuesday.

There will be 24 stalls, which can create 48 trading units, and 11 single stalls on Albion Street, plus two more stalls if three trees are removed.

On Curzon Street the plans are for four stalls or eight trading units. Shopkeepers who have objected to market stalls on pavements in Oldham town centre will not have them put up outside their buildings.

Businesses which would face stalls have to give their consent. And councillors will hear that four have objected.

But to prevent their objections having to go to arbitration, the panel will hear that the sitings have been changed so that the stalls are no longer in front of the Albion Street objectors’ frontage.

Existing fixed stalls behind Tommyfield Market Hall will be demolished and replaced by 28 demountable new stalls with 56 trading units. The plans create 129 new parking spaces on the Tommyfield Market area.

The proposals also include demolishing many of the brick units around the perimeter of the market on St Mary’s Way and Lord Street.

Councillor Jackie Stanton, deputy leader of Oldham Council, said: “If approved, there will be a big launch this summer when the stalls are on the streets.”