City's livestock market could be on the move

There's been a livestock market in Norwich for centuries

A livestock market could be moved out of its city home after more than 60 years if councillors back the plan.

Norwich Livestock Market has been at a site off Hall Road since 1960, but the city council will vote on Tuesday whether to apply for a change in the law to move it outside the city boundary.

The authority said repairs to the market would cost about £3m and farmers wanted a site that was easier to get to by road.

"It's the only one for many, many miles, so it's a really important part of the East Anglian economy," said council leader Mike Stonard.

"We've had detailed surveys done and there's extensive repair work needed to bring it up to modern requirements.

"That land in Hall Road is used once a week on a Saturday by the market and there are much better uses that it could be put to - industrial uses, employment uses - that would benefit the city and its residents.

"We're committed to providing a livestock market, but we would want to provide it somewhere more appropriate."

The livestock market has been based just off Hall Road, in Norwich, since 1960

Livestock has been sold at market in the city for about 700 years. A site next to Norwich Castle was used from 1738, until it moved to Hall Road.

An Act of Parliament from 1984 stipulated the authority needed to provide a site for a livestock market within the city.

Previous attempts to get the law changed - and allow a move - have been unsuccessful, but the Labour-run council hoped it would now be able to get a mandate to pursue a private bill through Parliament.

The bill would ensure any new market would match the existing one, be fairly nearby and close to the A11 or A47, so livestock producers could continue to attend a local market.

A consultation, which ended in August, found 73% of those who replied supported the council's overall plan to relocate the market outside the city, while 16% opposed it and 11% were unsure.

On average, people said the market should be about 10 miles (16km) from Norwich, with 93% of all those who took part from Norfolk.

Half of the 349 people who answered the consultation were users of the market, with a further 32% farmers and National Farmers' Union (NFU) members.

At the launch of the consultation, NFU eastern regional director Zoe Leach said she welcomed it after "prolonged uncertainty".