Overseeing a redevelopment project as large as the one about to take place on New Covent Garden Market would be an ominous undertaking for even the most experienced of figures, but you get the sense that Pam Alexander is up to the task.

Covent Garden Market Authority’s new chairman, who replaced Baroness Brenda Dean this month, has an impressive CV of redevelopment and business improvement work that underlines her credentials for the job.As chief executive of the South East England Development Agency from 2004 to 2011 she oversaw many large-scale redevelopment projects, while a strong emphasis on design and creation also shines through in her work, with Alexander currently holding non-exec positions at Crest Nicholson and the Design Council, as well as chairing Thanet Regeneration Board. It all bodes well for her input into what is one of the largest regeneration projects central London has seen.

Despite all this professionalism though, Alexander is keen to take a holistic approach, and is even going as far as looking for a flat in the Vauxhall area so as to watch first hand as the new build gets under way.

“For me this isn’t just about the regeneration project, it’s also about business development and support for businesses in the market,” she explains. “And the food supply chain and hospitality industry is a part of the economy that is absolutely crucial to London. For me it’s fantastic because it knits together my passion for the physical regeneration with my engagement with SEEDA over support for the market.”

I felt I couldn't go for an interview without having met the traders and got a feel for the market. 5.30 in the morning was a challenge but I'm going to get used to it.

An engaging, intelligent woman, Alexander’s passion for the task in hand shines through, and she is at pains to stress that working closely with the tenants will be a key facet to her role, even if that does mean something of a readjustment to the body clock. “I felt I couldn’t go for an interview without having met the traders and got a feel for the market and seeing whether I was comfortable in that,” she says. “And I had a great morning with Helen [Evans, CGMA’s director of business development and support]. 5.30 in the morning was a bit of a challenge but I’m going to get used to it. I did go round before I did the interview but since then we’ve made it a priority to engage with the tenants and the Tenants’ Association.”

That relationship with tenants will be crucial to the smooth running of the redevelopment, particularly given the recent history in which tenants complained about being left in the dark over legal proceedings following the appointment of developer Vinci St Modwen.

Tenants have been particularly vocal in their disapproval of what they see as a lack of communication from CGMA over the specifics of the redevelopment, such as the decant strategy, traffic flow, and loading and unloading rules among other issues.

CGMA defends its silence by stressing that it was constrained by competition rules during the tender and then the legal challenge, but the sense of relief that the board is now able to talk specifics with the tenants is palpable. And according to CGMA chief executive Jan Lloyd, there is great sympathy with the tenants’ point of view.

“Inevitably when there’s a vacuum people fill it, and our frustration during the public procurement is that you’re so constrained by public procurement rules and the need for confidentiality of the highest level that we couldn’t share with the tenant community, much though we might have wanted to,” she explains. “And of course once we were under legal challenge you’re constrained in a different way. So there’s been extended periods of quiet where we haven’t been able to tell them the things they want to hear, like when are you going to move me, how’s it going to be done, what’s it going to cost me? And I can understand why this concern has arisen.”

So can the tenants finally expect answers to all these questions? Yes, says Lloyd, and that process began with a meeting last Friday where tenants were given their first sight of VSM’s plans. It’s just the first phase of a series of meetings that both sides hope will bring agreement on how the whole process is going to work.

Lloyd says almost everything is up for discussion, with the exception of one point: CGMA is vetoing the practice of leaving uncovered produce out in the open. “The one change that has to happen is that produce has to be kept under cover,” she insists. “You cannot leave produce sitting on a pallet outside and it’s either very hot, or very cold, or has pigeons all over it. The quality of the produce deserves better. It’s a change of practice, but if you talk to the guys dealing with the more demanding customers, they know it’s got to happen.

“We’ve made sure there’s enough space for people to expand, or they’ll have to work more efficiently. But that’s the only change we’ve made to their operations.“

Our frustration during the public procurement is that we couldn't share with the tenant community, much though we might have wanted to

The stipulation is all part of the overall strategy of making New Covent Garden London’s new food quarter, not just for the trade, but also the public. For while Lloyd is insistent that the focus will remain absolutely on wholesale, there is opportunity for traders to get involved in new consumer-facing business ventures during the day time.

“As a landlord one has to be very careful that you don’t try to tell your tenants how to run their business,” Lloyd says. “But our job is to create the opportunity, the facility, the flexibility, so that those that do want to take those opportunities can do so.

“Certainly we would want to have a retail market that showcases the best of what’s available on the market, be that fruit, veg or flowers, so that the consumer can appreciate the quality of what’s available on the market.”

The timescale of how the regeneration will work is yet to be set in stone, but construction is set to begin in two years time, with a phased build and decant set to follow over the following five years or so, depending on discussions with tenants. The advantage with this redevelopment compared with others is that traders work during the night, meaning builders can dovetail by working during the day.

Theoretically therefore, by 2020 the process could be complete. Alexander says she hopes that both her and Lloyd will be there at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and there is clearly a fresh excitement now they are free to start discussing how the process will work.

There’s much talking still to be done, but there is a real feeling the reconstruction of New Covent Garden Market has just entered a new and exciting phase. —

A GLIMPSE OF THINGS TO COME

At a meeting last Friday, traders were given their first glimpse of Vinci St Modwen’s plans for the market. Authorities are setting up a series of working groups to start the process of discussing any design changes that need to be made, with the plans due to be finalised over the coming year. Building is expected to begin in 2015