Decision details

The report is presented for Cabinet to consider the Council (as landowner) to allow permission to run a market in the Guildhall Car Park for the period of the Christmas Market

(1) To DELEGATE authority to the Chief Property Officer, for 2013 and in future years (if required), to decide whether to allow a market to be held in the Guildhall Car Park to run concurrently with the period of the Christmas Market, plus two additional days prior to and one day after the Guildhall Christmas Market for setting up and dismantling; and

(2) To AGREE that if consent is given to the use of the car park for this purpose, that consent will be given subject to the following conditions:

(a) that any proposed variations to the format of the market from that held in December 2009 are delegated to the Chief Property Officer.

(b)  that Planning Permission and all other statutory consents are obtained and all conditions (if any) are complied with fully before the market is set up.

(c) that all necessary street trading licenses are obtained before the market is set up.

(d) that each year an operator, on behalf of the Guildhall Market Traders Association, enter a licence with the Council covering their use of the car park documenting the term and agreed covenants and obligations of each party.

(e) that appropriate alternative arrangements are made for users of the displaced parking spaces for the disabled.

(f) that if in any year any operational issues arise that are not resolved to the satisfaction of the Chief Property Officer, especially the handling of refuse, then the Council reserves the right to withdraw permission to use the car park.

(g) that if the Christmas Market does not operate the Council reserves the right to withdraw permission to use the car park.

(h) that if the Grand Parade and Undercroft project results in the market not being able to operate, the Council reserves the right to withdraw permission to use the car park.

(i) that the issue of who operates the market is delegated to the Chief Property Officer to determine.

A market has been held in the car park for the period of the Christmas Market for the last nine years with planning permission being obtained each year and the Council's consent as landowner sought initially on each separate occasion and most recently for a three year consent, expiring in 2012.

The car park is in a sensitive location surrounded by listed buildings including residential accommodation in the Empire and offices including the register office in the Guildhall itself. There is a public footpath through the car park which is now closed overnight during the market, after receiving statutory consents each year, and there is parking and access for the disabled.  The Guildhall market traders seek the opportunity to use the car park during the period of the Christmas Market as a means of generating extra footfall and business into the Guildhall market.

The format of the market since 2006 demonstrates that the operator has found a successful sustainable format in which to operate the market and which addresses the sensitivities of the site.  As a successful format has been identified it is considered appropriate to grant permission to the use of the car park for the following three years rather than consider the request on an annual basis, subject to the specified conditions.

None