PROPOSALS to relocate Llanelli Market and potentially demolish the ageing multi-storey car park above have been unveiled by Carmarthenshire Council.
The authority is looking at four options, including moving the indoor market to the former Woolworths building in nearby Vaughan Street.
No final decisions have been made and the proposals were shared with traders at a meeting yesterday evening.
The council said the multi-storey car park above the current market was safe but nearing the end of its structural life.
The four options being considered are:
– Temporarily relocate the market to outdoor or other provision, before relocating to a new home on the current site
– Relocate to Market Street South
– Relocate to the former Woolworths Building, Vaughan Street
– Hybrid option of relocating the market to the former Woolworths building with some traders going to empty retail sites within the town centre.
The council acquired the old Woolworths building in 2018 and has UK Government Levelling Up Fund money to develop a chunk of commercial space in the town centre by spring, 2028. This means the two options involving 8-12 Vaughan Street are considered at this stage the most viable.
Cllr Hazel Evans, cabinet member for regeneration, leisure, culture and tourism, 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.
“Last night’s 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 said the council would need to submit a pre-planning application to redevelop 8-12 Vaughan Street in the coming weeks, potentially comprising a ground floor and first floor layout. Cardiff’s indoor market has a ground floor and balcony level above.
“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,” said Cllr Evans. “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 UK Government.”
Sharon Bowler, the owner of market business Beauty 2 Bubbles, said she hadn’t been able to attend last night’s meeting but was now aware of the proposals.
She said it was a bit of a shock but that she and others were aware that the car park above was old and needed a lot of work.
“We knew it was not going to stand forever,” said Mrs Bowler. “It looks like it needs to come down.”
She and others have asked the council for more information about the Cowell Street end of the market, where Beauty 2 Bubbles is based.
Mrs Bowler said it was vital that wherever the market moved that all traders, which the council said numbered 50, could be accommodated.
“If it’s going to be nice premises, than 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 trader said she also felt the market was going to have to move. “I did think it was on the cards,” she said. “But we’re still at the very early stages.”
The council said it anticipated knocking down the multi-storey car park after the market relocated. It said it was reviewing all parking provision in the meantime.
What are the plans?
The council said the current building was nearing its end of life, but safe, and that it wanted to agree a joint way forward with traders to create a new
market for the town.
Will Llanelli Market close?
No, said the council. It said it was committed to ensuring that Llanelli
continued to have a thriving market in the decades to come, and was also working to regenerate the town centre.
What measures are being put in place to ensure the current building
continues to be safe?
The council said engineers were conducting monthly inspections to monitor the building’s condition closely. All necessary repairs, it said, were documented and addressed by an appointed contractor on a priority basis.
How many car parking spaces will be lost if the car park closes?
The multi-storey car park above the market, built in 1969, can accommodate 527 cars. The council said the average daily use of the car park was 224 tickets but that the number of spaces in use at any one time was less than
this.
If the current car park is closed, where are people meant to park?
Considering the parking numbers above, the council has reviewed all parking provision in the town and said the displaced parking spaces from the multi-storey would be accommodated in other public car parks.
Why does it seem the option to move the market to the former Woolworths building is being further developed?
The council acquired the building seven years ago and had proposed a health hub there after securing UK Government Levelling Up Fund money to redevelop the site. The health hub didn’t materialise and the market relocation is now seen as an opportunity to both use the site and ensure the project was eligible for the funding.
Will a two-storey market work?
The council said if it got the design and offer right in the future market building, it believed footfall will come. If this option was chosen, it said, it would be up to the council, traders and wider stakeholders to ensure its success. Architects have been approached to create a building that was fit
for the future and would help regenerate the town.
Next steps?
The council said it wanted to get everyone’s views and collectively agree a way forward. It added that to keep all four options on the table and meet UK Government funding requirements it would submit a pre-planning application shortly to create a new market at the former Woolworths building on Vaughan Street in the coming weeks, but this didn’t mean it would be the option taken foward.
Not for 3 years and where will they park the 247 cars that now use the MS carpark
Will they turn the old bus station into a carpark
Martin Hutchinson There’s plenty of yellow lines.
John Osborne true and lot of money to be made from people parking on them
If the old Woolworths is the preferred site, where is bargain buys moving to? Or is it being kicked out or closing altogether?
Andrew Brown i believe the council own the building, bargain buys never seems to have anyone in there? If done properly, that could be a lovely market. If the council sort out the damp smell at the back of the shop.
It’s not safe, I had a vintage shop in the market and the shop is a bad way ,
Deane Bowler in this day of economic crisis.what ever to the old adage mend and make do. Someone will make mega bucks on this demolition.yet another nail in Llanelli coffin . It’s not as if there is enough parking space in the town centre as it is.and I believe the town will become even more desolate and the few pubs and shops they have left will close. But that’s just my opinion for what it is worth.
Lisa Smith
Well I mean I like to get a jacket spud in there for lunch lol
Lisa Smith it will kill the centre even more….
Rachel Williams I will be able to have proper naps 🤣🤣🤣
Rachel Williams will take a while and as we were told “u know who will be back” 🤣🤣🤣
If the stall holders are offered empty shops, will they face massive rent/race increases?
Wendy Mathias That’s probably the whole idea.🤔
Wendy Mathias , they should leave Llanelli alone , they have destroy Llanelli as it is . The multi-storey car park was built in 1971 , has it deteriorated?????
Carol Williams it was probably built using cheapest method, may have that rac concrete, that crumbles.
Wendy Mathias yes that sounds just like the labour councils. As long as they get theirs bonus
Carol Williams I bet ccc are just saying that!
They haven’t started on Market Street yet, and that was supposed to have been demolished pre-covid !!
Stuart Griffiths it’s mad how they forced businesses out to do this but can’t move along with those plans.
Look at Argos bingo hall they quickly knocked down shop y werin. They said that coral/stardust and bingo hall plus I’m sure both Andrew price and next door were all being cleared. Opposite they were to clear where pub is.
Ck bought Tom peppers and being halted from demolishing due to that pub by council.
The current regeneration build is coming on fantastic though.
Hopefully they don’t add those god dam awful canopy things.
Dullest idea ever.
Day one smart looking but unable to cope with reality of time.
Awkward maintenance and a danger to the public when glass shattered.
Guttering always blocking up and water cascades but better still water damages shop fronts and soaks shoppers entering and exiting.
Even a 7 year old kid could see illogical concept.
Richard Smith exactly there been the remains of a dead seagull for a year on the one by Ty hafen
Another nail in Llanelli town centre coffin
Bertha Winterbottom ghost town 🙄
Paul Moran aye not good. they have slowly crippled a once thriving town
Bertha Winterbottom what are you talking about. Did you not read the multi storey parking figures at the moment, out of a total of 527 spaces only about 200 used at any one time.
Well that’s less 200 cars parked on the road or outside your house so you can’t park on your road were you live
Llanelli town is a drug market full of scumbags dreadful 😫 VERY dangerous place people stay well away
It’s the number 1 turdtown in the country nothing worse so sad
The church ⛪️ is an eyesore opposite that’s a great space
Think the headline should read close.
Rosemarie Davies What on earth are you talking about? There’s nothing wrong with the Prish Church near Woolwirths. Do you mean the ruin of Park Congregational Church in Murray Street that burned down ten years next month? There are plans to turn it into an open air public facility. .
Frederick Hughes yes that’s what I meant oh that sounds good my cousin and the family live opposite it looks horrendous
Llanelli Council are milking the people and killing the town.
Craig Smith it’s not llanalli council no more it’s carmarthenshire council has destroyed llanalli we need to get llanalli council back for our town
Craig Smith nothing to do with the Town Council this is the Plaid Run County Council.
That building will never make a lovely market. No Town market should be housed in a store! Look at Swansea and carmarthen. Yet again llanelli ” has to make do”. Can no one see they are trying to rid llanelli town of retail. What will replace the multi and market? Flats ? And for who?? A town centre should not be for housing!! Half the ones in Stepney street are empty
Spot on
Shops closing everywhere and council laying down terrible roads 👊
For everyone complaining, it’s not going to happen for at least 2 years, probably longer. There is a rumour going around that the market has closed already, IT’S STILL OPEN, so if everyone who says leave the market alone, could visit and support the stallholders.