Ashton Market Square £11m revamp gets go-ahead
Tameside Council approved its own town centre regeneration project at a meeting yesterday.
Buttress Architects designed the scheme, which will transform Ashton-under-Lyne’s market square to create a modern facility anchored by a large feature canopy.
Proposals feature a large feature canopy. Credit: via Buttress Architects
At present, Market Square’s outdoor market is made up of 104 fixed stalls and eight kiosk facilities and runs seven days a week.
The council estimates that the average occupancy of the outdoor market through the week – excluding busier Tuesdays and Sundays – tends to be between 10-15%.
Plans for the new canopy feature space for 11 kiosks of differing types in order to suit different retailers, including food and drink stands.
Temporary pop-up market stalls are proposed, with the capacity for up to 44 stalls beneath the canopy and a further 52 outside.
There will also be public realm improvements. Credit: via Buttress Architects
As well as Market Square, other areas of the public realm including Bow Street, Market Street, Market Avenue, Fletcher Square, and Warrington Street will be upgraded.
The nearly £11m project will be part-funded by Tameside’s £20m Levelling Up Fund award from the government. The rest will come from Tameside Council.
The council presented its final strategy for the town centre at an executive cabinet meeting in March, with plans submitted for the project in July.
Work is expected to be completed by March 2025, in line with the Levelling Up Fund agreement. Works will be phased to minimise disruption to trading on the outdoor market.
LK Group is the project manager leading the overall scheme. The project team also includes Planit-IE and Civic Engineers.
Lindsay Humblet, director at Planit-IE, said: “Ashton Market is the beating heart of the town and the market grounds proposals draws in this rich character and references from the town’s heritage.
“Once completed as well as growing the towns vibrant market offer with a new canopy and kiosks, the square will also provide space for Ashtonians to enjoy the new gardens, play areas, and activities planned for the new Civic Square”, she continued.
“Ultimately we are trying to create a modern market town for everyone, a destination attracting locals and visitors, hosting a range of entertaining events.”
Want to learn more about the project? Search for application number 23/00561/FUL on Tameside Council’s planning portal.
Priorities TMBC! Shut an essential Pool facility in Ashton claiming it can’t afford to run it with out an succession plan for it and then spend millions on a failing outdoor market. I doth Fume as Shameside Council yet again proves its ineptitude and missmanagement of public funds!!
By IMHO
Right so they can spend £11 million on that it not keep the swimming pool open ?????
By Matthew
Closing the pool and gym. Labour Council what a loud of crap. Labour Council have killed the market off . Plus trying to get the money up from the car parking
By Simon
will not work. high street already dead. take a walk round ashton … you have finished it already no appetite for this anymore
By Anonymous
So the millions spent several years ago on the same area was just wasted? How dare Tameside council be allowed to approve it’s own plans…surely the people of Tameside should get a say on this before this more money is squandered
By A
Fantastic! This is exactly what is needed to take this area forwarded.
By TB
How many times, at the cost of our council tax, will Tameside keep refurbishing Ashton market. It didn’t work last time and it won’t work this time. Market traders do NOT want to trade on Ashton outdoor market, can the people who make these decisions to spend our over prised council tax see what Ashton is like, take a walk round and see if you’d like to run your business there. Markets are finished, the way to go is partisan markets but not in Ashton.
By Sue Lane
The money should have been spent on the swimming baths, which were vital for the health and well-being of the people of Ashton.
By Anonymous
What a complete waste of money on a failing town and market due to poor management , you only need look round dirty streets overgrown grassed areas , fly tipping , boarded up shops , buildings falling into ruin , potential increase in parking , need I go on !
By Susan
Complete waste of money should have invested it in the baths and roads
By Anonymous
It’s not so long ago that the council wrecked a perfectly good and thriving outdoor market to install said kiosks and fixed stalls. This is throwing good money after bad. Instead of spending £11 million on the outdoor market, why don’t they rebuild the recently closed leisure centre. We were told there was no money to keep it open – well the money is there, it’s just that the council did not see the health and wellbeing of Ashton residents as being important enough to invest in. Sadly I am not surprised, but I am profoundly shocked.
By Anonymous
The forgotten town Droylsden Town
It seems Ashton can spend more money on their town centre again 😠
By Michael Carney Droylsden
What about the Town Hall? Increased charges to parking from £1 to £3 disgrace. Centre was ruined .hardly any stalls used .charges to high. Ashton was a thriving market town not any more. All that money. All wasted. Ashamed of the town
By Anonymous
The challenge for Ashton is to attract different types of people. We have got affluent people but they are reluctant to shop in Ashton. We must start catering for different types of people We need some quality shops and eating places
By Harry Singleton
Disgraceful when they couldn’t keep the swimming pool open
By Sue Spensley
Basically an indoor market ,sure we already have one ,,,,,,
By Anonymous
Stop it now.. Absolute waste of public funds,
Put a free car park next to the swimming pool in Ashton and encourage fitness…Oops that’s right we don’t swim in Ashton you closed it down .
By Anonymous
Money would be better spent on fixing housing problems. More affordable available properties. Not a big tent for them on the market. I’m sure the Hospital would benefit from a share of that money too.
By Jason
What a waste of money. The people of Tameside do not want this. Enough money has been wasted on ‘ improving the market’. Most of the shops are now Charity shops. The only time the market is busy is on a Tuesday with secondhand clothing and household goods. The libraries are closing, the public swimming pools closing. The ladysmith precinct has seen so many stores close…why? Who ever voted for this, were they in private business, would no doubt be removed from office. It is bad planning and a complete waste of public funds.
By Carole Parker
A complete waste of money Ashton Market has been updated in recent years. The money should be invested in the neighbouring towns. The majority of outside market stalls are never occupied so what is the point? There are so many empty boarded up shops in that area as I passed last week.
By Anonymous
This is not really leveling up. Tameside is a collection of nine small towns many of which were described in the last century as ‘ market towns’ , so what about the market’s elsewhere in the Borough? Levelling up should be adding new facilities or commerce, not dressing up wear exists. Sorry Tameside Council this not good use of funds.
By David
Hey folks, I believe people’s desire for funding to be spent otherwise has been well expressed. I will be shutting down comments accordingly. Thank you.
By Julia Hatmaker
It does not look welcoming
Characterless
By Anonymous
Have the Council discussed this with the Stallholders and asked their opinions? NO!. Where are the Stallholders going to go once the work starts? No one knows. It was bad enough when they removed the tables from half the Stalls and the Electricity supply which Stallholders paid an extra £5 (citing antisocial behavior). Some People rely on the Market to either bring in or subsidize an income to live on. Quite a few have said they won’t be returning once the work has finished due to the way they have been treated.
By Anonymous