'It's a desperate situation': Normanton Market improvements behind schedule

The local authority unveiled proposals to improve the outdoor market in a planning application last year.

They included demolishing eight free-standing redundant units on the town centre site, in a move that will halve the market's capacity.

But new lights will be put on the remaining stalls to improve their appearance and a new bin storage area introduced.

The scheme was given planning permission before Christmas but it's yet to be put into action.

Asked for an update on the plans during an online Q&A session, the council's service director for economic growth Mark Lynam said: "It is a little bit behind where we'd like it to be and that's partly a symptom of Covid - it's meant a delay to a lot of works actually proceeding.

"We're hoping to go out shortly to secure a contractor for that scheme.

"So I'd be hopeful that they'll have started by the summer."

Council leader Denise Jeffery told the session that she wanted to see the works start as soon as possible, with Normanton badly affected by a lack of post-pandemic footfall.

She said: "It's a desperate situation and it really needs doing.

"I was there last week and a lot of residents and business came to talk to me, when I was on High Street, about it.

"It's something we need to crack on with because it's really affecting the town centre."

Local Democracy Reporting Service