Food zone to form part of £1.75m revamp of Walsall Market

The improved 70 stall market is due to be finished in early 2016, although some traders will have to be temporarily moved during the major project.

The work is due to be carried out in two phases with Walsall Council bosses releasing a new image of what the revamped site around The Bridge will look like when it is finished.

A food zone with a canopied seating area will be created near to the existing Halifax bank under the latest proposals.

The Sister Dora statue will need to be slightly re-positioned with the popular Hippo sculpture also needing to be temporarily moved to the civic quarter.

However, it will return once the project is completed.

Council regeneration chiefs have been looking to create a permanent pitch for the nearly 800-year-old market for more than five years.

The market has been temporarily based around The Bridge and the Park Street area since 2009, but council bosses had vowed to create a more modern long-term location for the popular facility.

The permanent location will house about 70 stalls in a back-to-back layout so traders face pedestrian routes and adjacent shop fronts.

The stalls will also be demountable so when the market is not operating it can act as a public open space.

A formal planning application has been put forward and will be considered by members of the council's planning committee early next year.

Work will go-ahead subject to formal permission being granted.

Council regeneration chief Mohammad Nazir said: "We have made a commitment to find a long-term site for Walsall's historic market.

"We have had to stick to a specific timeline as there are a number of projects taking place in the town and we want to minimise disruption to traders and retailers alike."

Market traders association chairman Tony Larner said he was pleased with the location and was keen to see the permanent home become a reality.

"It is needed and the location is fantastic. The food area is a good idea," he said.

"In theory it is brilliant if it comes off. But I have my reservations until it is all passed. I have seen that many plans go awry over a period of time," said Mr Larner.

A consultation over the market was held earlier this year and led to some initial concerns about the robustness of the demountable stalls and layout. Extra time was granted for the plans to be looked at again to come up with this latest design.

Phase one of the scheme is expected to start in the spring. It will see market stalls retained on Bradford Street with a reconfiguration of traders on The Bridge. About six stalls will be relocated on a temporary basis to Market Square, while six trees will be removed and later relocated when the market returns to its permanent location at The Bridge.

Although more than 20 stalls face being moved during work to raise a bridge as part of the electrification of the Chase Line and for the next stage of the Old Square shopping centre development. This is due to see Primark and Co-op open next summer as part of a £21m revamp.

Under the market scheme, the Source of Ingenuity fountain also needs to be moved to allow for the new market.

It is set to be put in storage as there are no plans at this stage to bring it back.

The water feature arrived as part of the £2m revamp of the town's civic square, but was turned off in 2005 amid fears of Legionnaires Disease contamination.

The sculpture, based on Janus the two-faced Roman god of time, required thousands of pounds worth of repairs to the pumping system.

It was designed by artist Tom Lomax who created Birmingham's The Spirit of Enterprise fountain in Centenary Square.

The monument has previously been a target for yobs, causing thousands of pounds to be spent on repairs since it was opened in July 2001 as part of the borough's new millennium celebrations.

Vandals armed with tools punched out decorative lights around it in a spate of attacks just months after it was completed.

In 2005 it was defaced when the eyes were painted pink and it was eventually switched off later that same year because of fears of contamination. At the time council chiefs said they had insufficient funds to repair it.