The corporation made some significant proposals, which included its taking over ownership of New Covent Garden Market while continuing to run it as a wholesale market.

Plans by the corporation included encouraging an expansion of activities at Nine Elms Lane to provide an improved supply chain for the central London catering trade.

Daniel Caspi chairman of the corporation's market committee has expressed concern. He said: 'Future investment by the tenants and the corporation will be difficult to justify if the minister grants consents for the sale of meat and fish at New Covent Garden, thereby infringing the corporation's market rights. And the corporation has a responsibility to its tenants to do its best to protect the livelihoods of their workers and their investments.'