City Corporation planners are developing a new brief to frame options for developing Smithfield Market buildings when wholesale trading ends in three years time, subject to Parliamentary approval.
Last December the Corporation agreed closure of the market with traders and a plan, with compensation, to move to a new location “within the M25”.
Last week the City’s Planning and Transportation committee approved proposals to develop a planning brief for the Market buildings. Several committee members argued that the brief should cover a wider area; that it should relate to public realm strategy, as well as market buildings; and there should be effective consultation with a wide range of stakeholders. The brief is due to be completed by the end of this year, with public consultation next Spring.
- Previous post on the move
- The new planning brief
- Video of committee discussion
- Response by Planning and Development Director Gwyn Richards
What’s unclear from committee discussion is whether the Corporation has abandoned the vision for the market buildings published in 2020, and whether there is going to be any masterplan for the wider area.
The brief “will set out guidelines and requirements for any development of, in whole or in part, of the respective market buildings”. The committee report does not say whether the Corporation will market the site to developers, or aim for some sort of partnership.
Background
In 2020 the City Corporation had plans for a Culture Mile that include redevelopment of the Smithfield Meat Market Buildings, London Museum, a Centre for Music on the site of the London Museum at London Wall West, and transformation of the Beech Street tunnel. In 2019 Farrells had produced a manifesto for Smithfield Square showing its wider significance. Since then the original Culture Mile strategy for the area, and the Centre for Music have been abandoned.
Culture Mile
- News release in 2017 “this ambitious and transformational initiative will create a vibrant cultural area in the north-west corner of the City over the next 10 to 15 years. Stretching just under a mile from Farringdon to Moorgate, Culture Mile will have creative exchange, cultural collaboration and learning at its core in an area where 2,000 years of history collide with the world’s best in culture“.
- A £300,000 Look and Feel strategy in 2018 provided detailed designs for the public realm, information systems, and attractions for a wide range visitors. Full report … YouTube video …City Matters article.
- In 2023 the City Corporation Culture Mile team was disbanded and some responsibilities taken on by a Business Improvement District. The Look and Feel strategy was effectively abandoned. Public realm responsibilities are split between the Corporation and BID
Meat Market buildings – 2020 vision
Smithfield Market Grand Avenue re-imagined: Studio Egret West
The proposals commissioned by the City Corporation were published on the Wholesale Markets website, which is no longer live. However it is available on the Internet Archive. Here’s some of the content.
- Introduction: We have appointed architects Studio Egret West to explore the potential future of the current meat market buildings, and they are working alongside HawkinsBrown and the Museum of London on a unified vision for the further transformation of Smithfield.
- An eight-minute video about the Smithfield vision is available on Youtube
- Vision: A place for all Londoners; A connected, 24 hour campus; Reveal the historic architecture; A celebration of food; A place to grow and thrive
- Masterplan covers the Meat Market; Public realm; London Museum
- Early design proposals: Opening up and enhancing public access; Making the most of the halls; Grand Avenue cut; Grand Avenue stalls; Multi-purpose box; Buyers Walk gantries; East Poultry Avenue Bridge; a Roof over the rotunda; internal planting; Service lifts and vertical circulation.
Some of the concept designs are also available on the website of architects Studio Egret West.
Welcome to the “meet” market – Peter Bill reports in 2020 in the EC1 Echo on the London Museum, Meat Market, and Centre for Music.
Other developments
The London Museum development is proceeding: official website here, and blog post on a visit to the site
Centre for Music and London Wall West: In 2021 the City Corporation abandoned plans for the Centre for Music, and instead proposed office development, strongly opposed by Barbican residents and their supporters. Campaign site here.
Public realm: November 2024 update on Smithfield and Farringdon public realm: Smithfield Market surroundings due for a make-over – sometime. Other public realm blog posts here.
The market closure is subject to Parliamentary approval for the City of London (Markets) Bill, which could take two years – and is not a foregone conclusion.