Detailed plans to place a roof on part of Lewisham Market have been revealed, with the council pledging that the high street will become a “vibrant, greener and more sustainable” place.
The new pavilion is the centrepiece of the proposals for the market, which have been submitted after Lewisham Council won £19 million in levelling-up fund money last year to transform the town centre’s high street and library.
An open-air market will remain at the south end of the high street’s pedestrianised area, while a “market plaza” will be created at the main entrance to the current shopping centre.
But the biggest change will be the installation of a covered market to the north, which the council says will “become a thriving trading hub, bustling with activity throughout the week” which can also be used in the evening and for events.
Planning documents say that “revitalise it as an iconic market that attracts, inspires, and connects the whole community, while also supporting economic growth.
Traders had called for a cover in consultations, with planning documents saying that the market’s north-south axis means it is in full sunlight during the morning and lunchtime.
The steel, stone and timber structure is designed to be a modern take on those found in traditional market towns such as Royal Wootton Bassett and Hereford.
Last year councillors heard that a street food market could occupy the space in the evening, following the success of the one in the old Model Market, which was open from 2014 until 2021.
While one of the current market’s most prominent sights is its huge row of waste bins, the plans state that waste will be separated for recycling, constantly collected and bins moved to a yard off the high street.
Seating and planting is planned, while the scruffy area around the clock tower will be “transformed into a vibrant social space, it will incorporate green infrastructure for a more pleasant and welcoming atmosphere”.
A similar market transformation is already under way in Woolwich, where Greenwich Council is spending levelling-up money on refurbishing Beresford Square. Work has recently restarted after the original contractor collapsed into administration.
Lewisham also plans to spend its levelling-up cash on turning its library a cultural and business hub, with plans including a rooftop bar.
The market plans come at a time of great change in Lewisham, with the finishing touches being put to the Lewisham Gateway development, designed to link the station with the high street.
And the 1970s shopping centre is also due for demolition, with developers still consulting on plans for a smaller replacement with open streets, 1,700 homes as well as student and “shared living” housing, a music venue and a cultural hub.
The full proposals for the market can be seen on the Lewisham Council planning website.
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