Carmarthenshire Council has revealed plans to relocate Llanelli Market and demolish the ageing multi-storey car park situated above it.
The council is currently considering four options, one of which includes moving the indoor market to the former Woolworths building on Vaughan Street nearby.
No final decisions have been reached yet, and these proposals were presented to traders in a meeting held this month.
The council says that while the multi-storey car park above the existing market is safe, it is nearing the end of its structural lifespan.
The four options under consideration are as follows:.
– Temporarily relocating the market to an outdoor or other provision, before moving it back to a new facility on the current site.
– Relocating to Market Street South.
– Moving to the former Woolworths Building on Vaughan Street.
– A hybrid option of moving the market to the former Woolworths building, with some traders shifting to vacant retail sites within the town centre.
In 2018, the council took ownership of the old Woolworths building and has secured º£½ÇÊÓƵ Government Levelling Up Fund money to develop a significant portion of commercial space in the town centre by spring 2028. Consequently, the two options involving 8-12 Vaughan Street are deemed the most feasible at this stage.
Cllr Hazel Evans, the cabinet member for regeneration, leisure, culture and tourism, has highlighted the urgency in securing funding for a new market in Llanelli town centre.
She said: "We are faced with tight timescales to secure the money for this project and ensure that this option remains on the table to deliver a new market in Llanelli town centre."
Evans emphasised the importance of trader involvement, saying the initial discussion meeting "is the beginning of a journey with our traders, as their input is integral to how we design a new home for Llanelli Market".
She discussed the council's imminent plans to submit a pre-planning application for redeveloping 8-12 Vaughan Street, which may include both ground floor and first floor spaces, akin to Cardiff's indoor market structure.
"Due to the time constraints, it is better to submit the pre-planning application in this time scale, with the option to withdraw the application if this option is not viable," Cllr Evans stated. "If the council submitted the application at a later date, it would mean that we miss the deadlines set out in the conditions of funding by the º£½ÇÊÓƵ Government."
Market business owner Sharon Bowler, of Beauty 2 Bubbles, said she and others were aware that the car park above was old and needed a lot of work.
Acknowledging the ageing infrastructure, she said: "We knew it was not going to stand forever," and added, "It looks like it needs to come down."
She and others have approached the council for further details regarding the Cowell Street end of the market, where Beauty 2 Bubbles is situated.
Mrs Bowler emphasised the importance of ensuring that all traders, which the council estimates at 50, are accommodated in any new location for the market.
"If it's going to be nice premises, then great," she said. "The way the town is at the moment, it's not very grand. We are suffering. There is not enough footfall."
Another vendor expressed her belief that a relocation of the market was inevitable. "I did think it was on the cards," she remarked. "But we're still at the very early stages."
The council said it was considering the demolition of the multi-storey car park following the market's move and is currently reviewing all parking facilities in the area.
