Agenda item

The Street Trading Manager introduced the report, which sought approval to the designation for street trading purposes of an area in Archway Close, N19 3TD, on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 8.00am to 8.00pm.

In response to a question from a member of the Committee as to whether all written responses from businesses and the public had been included with the report, the Street Trading Manager stated that all but one written representation had been included with her report. The person making the representation had asked why the specific days for trading had been suggested. The Street Trading Manager had informed the enquirer that the purpose of the Committee meeting on 5 February 2018 was for members to consider whether or not to designate the particular area for street trading purposes and that all other licensing issues, including days of operation, would be considered by officers, in communication with traders, once the designation had been approved.

Ms Stephanie Smith, the operator of the existing Archway Market on Holloway Road and the proposed operator of any new market under the proposed designation, was invited to address the Committee. Ms Smith stated that the business plan circulated with the report for this Committee had been updated,  that a mixed community market was proposed, with food, a book stall, antiques and one free stall, which would be reserved for neighbourhood purposes. She was prepared to bear the cost of that free stall.  A further two stalls would be for “pop-ups” and not permanent traders.  In addition, as she enjoyed a good working relationship with local businesses, she hoped to use the new market as a springboard for involving young people, working in partnership with Elthorne Pride. 

The Street Trading Manager stated that, once the designation had been approved, officers would be considering details such as the positioning of stalls in the new market to ensure that they did not block shop entrances etc.

In response to questions about timescales for the establishment of the proposed new market, the Street Trading Manager said that planning permission would have to be sought and notices would have to be published in the local press and the whole process was expected to take a couple of months.  

The Legal Officer confirmed that, if the designation was approved at today’s meeting, the designation would take effect after the expiration of one month and officers would have to publish the passing of the designating resolution in a local newspaper on two consecutive weeks, the first publication being no later than 28 days after the designating resolution was passed. Planning approval would also have to be sought and could take between six and eight weeks.

A member of the Committee noted that one of the representations made relating to the question of access by emergency vehicles to the Church or the shops in the vicinity had not been addressed. Ms Smith, the proposed market operator, assured members that she was working with Council officers on that issue.

Members expressed a hope that there would be no delays in seeking planning approval and that the market would be established as soon as practicable.

RESOLVED:

That approval be granted to the designation of an area measuring approximately 500 square metres on the new public space in Archway, between 1 Archway Close and the Central Hall buildings, N19 3TD, and detailed in Appendix 1 to the report of the Service Director for Public Protection, for street trading purposes, on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 8.00am to 8.00pm, this resolution to come into effect no earlier than 5 March 2018.

Reason for decision

The Committee considered all of the written and oral evidence and noted both the written representations raised by persons opposed to the designation and the representations from those who supported the designation.

The Committee noted the Market Business Plan submitted by an experienced Markets Operator for a new market in Archway Close.

The Committee wished to support the regeneration of the Archway area in accordance with the Council’s Street Trading Strategy for 2017-2022 and to help to promote and enhance the local environment.

Note of the Committee

The Committee expressed the hope that there would be no delays in the process to establish the new market, particularly in the planning process.