4. Cornhill Market
Partner
City of Lincoln Council
Project Description
This project will restore and repurpose the Grade II listed Central Market Building within Lincoln City Centre to create a modern and diversified market offer, combining retail, food, leisure and technology. The scheme will create an ‘anchor destination’ with the Cornhill Quarter, which is emerging as a prime leisure and retail area, directly served by the City’s multi-modal Transport Hub.
The primary objective of the proposals for Central Market is to deliver a much more commercially viable and sustainable space to be utilised for a range of commercial uses which will meet the changing demands for a city centre from consumers and businesses, stimulate new and different types of economic activity, supporting the economic recovery of the city centre and attracting investment to the city centre.
The opportunity is therefore to establish Lincoln Central Market as a place of destination in its own right and generate significant additional footfall in the city centre. Successful markets across the country have demonstrated the significant positive impacts which the creation of a destination Market offer can bring to a town or city centre.
Total project cost: £8,750,587.51
Town Deal funding: £5,900,000
To view the outcomes of this project, please see the downloads section of the website.
Lincoln Central Market Update – June 2023
June 1st: Turtle Bay will open its first Lincolnshire restaurant in the city, as part of the new market offer.
In June 2022, demolition works at Lincoln Central Market began to enable the construction of the new two-storey extension to the south of the building, accommodating the new restaurant with a roof terrace.
June 30th: Formerly known as Lincoln Central Market, the Cornhill Market is set to open in the autumn, with traders beginning to open in the market from 1 October.
City of Lincoln Council, alongside its letting agents Eddisons Incorporating Banks Long & Co, has officially opened applications for businesses wishing to trade in the newly renovated Cornhill Market
Lincoln Central Market Update – October 2022
The exciting redevelopment of Lincoln Central Market continues to progress well, with the steelwork now in place to form the new restaurant unit onto Sincil Street.
The work also includes steelwork for the mezzanine in the main market hall area, where the future Fresh Produce Area will be located.
The project is on track to shortly be installing the brand-new roof and glazing to the exciting new arched windows, which in tradition with the original design were blocked by brickwork. The windows will provide a more welcoming visitor experience, creating a brighter, lighter market hall and allow views out into City Square and the riverside. Just outside of the market, visitors will also be able to enjoy seating areas, additional greenery and lighting to enhance the square.
Maria Clayton, Capital Projects Manager for the City of Lincoln Council stated:
“The vision has been to design a building of destination; an attractive and modern retailing and leisure space, offering a mix of stalls and delivering a place where people want to visit and dwell rather than simply pass by enroute to the High Street or the Transport links in the city.
“A successful Market will provide opportunities to support and nurture local business, creating jobs and opportunities for the local community and provide opportunities to showcase local produce.”
Steel works inside Lincoln Central Market
Steel works for the mezzanine
Lincoln Central Market Update - August 2022
Work continues as Lincoln Central Market refurbishment takes shape
Construction works at City of Lincoln Council’s Lincoln Central Market are now well underway and beginning to take shape.
The demolition works to the former ‘butchers’ corridor’ are now complete, along with piling works.
The next stage of works, which are being delivered by Lindum Construction, will include forming the foundations ready for the steel frame to be erected to the restaurant and mezzanine floor in the market hall, as well as forming the below ground drainage.
All of the stonework from the arches to the northern and eastern elevations of the building has now been removed to make way for the installation of new glazed panels which will provide light and visibility into and out of the market hall for shoppers, creating a much more welcoming customer experience.
The existing glazed roof light has been removed to make way for a new thermally improved double-glazed roof light. Lindum are currently progressing updating the supports to receive the new framing.
The works are expected to be completed by Autumn/Winter 2023 and will comprise:
- A new restaurant unit on the ground and first floor replacing the former butcher’s corridor which will have its own dedicated entrance from Sincil Street
- New toilet facilities on the ground floor to the rear of the restaurant unit, which will be accessed through the market hall
- New refurbished market hall including new perimeter and central island stalls
- A new ‘fresh produce’ area to the eastern end of the market hall with a new mezzanine area above providing flexible retail and business start-up workspace
- New public realm works across City Square including new paving, lighting, seating and greenery
Maria Clayton, Capital Projects manager for Major developments at City of Lincoln Council said:
“We are making great progress with the works, which are being delivered by Lindum Construction.”
Please note: Wilko, located at Waterside South, will remain open for business throughout the works.
Project works outside Lincoln central market
Project works inside Lincoln central market
Lincoln Central Market update – April 2022
Ahead of works commencing on 25 April, all remaining market traders have now vacated the market. If you'd like to visit the traders whose stalls were in Central Market, their current locations can be found on the map below. We shall update this list as and when required.
Works at Lincoln Central Market are expected to be complete by the end of 2023, and regular updates to the project will be made on this webpage.
Towns Fund Projects: Lincoln Central Market Refurbishment
East elevation towards Sincil Street
Planning Consent Granted for the Lincoln Central Market Redevelopment Works
On the 30th June our Planning Committee granted consent for the Lincoln Central Market redevelopment works.
Our aim is to repurpose and restore the Grade II listed building to create a modern and diverse market, combining non-food retail, food, leisure and technology. The plans also include landscaping for City Square, which would see greenery and seating added to the areas.
Cllr Neil Murray, Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, said:
‘’I am very pleased the planning consent has granted for Lincoln Central Market redevelopment works. This is another step nearer to the delivery phase.
“By restoring the Grade II Lincoln Central Market and City Square, we will create a strong, sustainable market offer in Lincoln, helping bring people to our much-loved city.
“It is exciting to see how this area of the city has been improved over the last few years, and the redevelopment of the Central Market will create an anchor destination within the Cornhill Quarter. The city council are now pulling together a full business case to secure funding for the project and subject to this being approved we look forward to seeing the works commence in early 2022”.
Lincoln Central Market Redevelopment Scheme
The City of Lincoln Council has developed a scheme to redevelop and repurpose the Lincoln Central Market, to enable it to meet the demands of a changing high street and to provide the residents of Lincoln, local businesses and visitors, with an enhanced market offer in the heart of the city centre’s retail area.
The proposals for the Lincoln Central Market aim to rejuvenate the existing market through the wholesale refurbishment of the main market hall and the demolition of the butchers corridor and the construction of a new retail space over ground and first floor to provide a reinterpretation of the current market offer in Lincoln.
The new scheme will restore and repurpose this Grade II listed building to create a modern and diversified market offer, combining food, retailing and leisure.
This scheme has been developed by the City Council, its contractors and design team, with guidance and support from Historic England and Lincolnshire County Council to respond to local needs and changing customer trends. It seeks to dramatically improve the market offer in Lincoln and to significantly improve the visual appearance of this area of the City Centre through the works.
The scheme follows the successful regeneration of the Cornhill Quarter and benefits from access links from the City’s award-winning multi-modal Transport Hub.
The project is a key priority for the Council in supporting the economic recovery and future vibrancy of the High Street in the wake of the Covid pandemic. It has been included within the Town Deal Programme for Lincoln for funding support, subject to the approval of a full business case.
In support of this, the City of Lincoln Council submitted a planning application for the scheme in March 2021.
The application is being reviewed by the Local Planning Authority, who will assess the planning application and make a recommendation to the Planning Committee, which is comprised of Elected Council Members, who will then make a decision on the application. It is hoped that the planning application will be considered at a planning committee meeting in the coming months.
Subject to planning permission being granted and the funding being available, it is anticipated that the refurbishment could start on site in early 2022.
The planning application is available on the City of Lincoln Council’s website under reference numbers 2021/0256/FUL and 2021/0257/LBC
This webpage will be regularly updated to provide updates on the development of the project.
Should you wish to discover more about this scheme, please email Michael.hurtley@lincoln.gov.uk
Lincoln Market Public Engagement Survey Results February 2021
The City of Lincoln Council carried out a wide-ranging public engagement survey with local residents and businesses, market traders and key stakeholders between the 8th and the 22nd February 2021, receiving over 700 responses.
This report explains and summarises the results of this consultation and engagement with the public for the redevelopment of the Lincoln Central Market building and City Square.
This report provides a detailed analysis of the survey results and illustrates some of the key outcomes of the survey.