Farmers welcome plan to move historic city market

Norwich has the only livestock market in East Anglia

Plans to move a livestock market from a city it has traded in for at least 700 years have been backed by a farmers' union.

Norwich City Council wants to relocate it to a new location, thought to be next to the A47, as it says the existing site off Hall Road requires extensive repairs.

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) said it was keen for new facilities to be built despite the long history of animals being traded in the city.

Farmer Tony Bambridge described the plans as "long overdue and very welcome" to support the longer-term viability of the market.

From 1738 until the 1930s, the livestock market was based near Norwich Castle

Last year, the council said bringing the current site up to modern standards would cost about £3m but there was no suitable location to move to in Norwich itself.

Unusually, it required a change in a law that stipulated the authority needed to provide a site for a livestock market within the city.

MPs have now backed a bill that ensures any new market must match the existing one and be fairly close to the A11, A47 or A140, so livestock producers could continue to attend a local market.

A spokeswoman for the council said it was "a major milestone for the city council" but they declined to comment on where the new location might be.

Farmer Tony Bambridge said a new market should "meet all the modern requirements"

Mr Bambridge hoped the new location would include parking and rest facilities for lorry drivers.

Plans will need to be approved by councillors and no date has been set for the market to move.