Both the tenants’ association and the market authority at New Covent Garden Market (NCGM) have quashed rumours that any contracts have been signed for development work on the Nine Elms site.
Last week’s Estates Gazette claimed that Covent Garden tenants had a deal with New York architect SOM, and even carried details of a masterplan of the potential site. Covent Garden Tenants’ Association (CGTA) chairman Gary Marshall told freshinfo the article was inaccurate. “We had input into the plans drawn up by SOM, but we have also had input with GMW [the British architect working with the Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA)].
“We have spoken to a number of professionals interested in developing the market, but we are not committed to any developer, corporate bank, or architect. We are still working with Nick Saphir and with the CGMA, and as far as the tenants are concerned, it is fundamental that the design of the new market is right. We were not consulted when the market was built 30 years ago, but we want to be in charge of our own destiny this time around.”
Jan Lloyd, chief executive of the CGMA, said: “The CGMA is well advanced with a programme to secure a financially sustainable, modern new market with exceptional facilities for our tenants and their customers. We are working closely with [the CGTA] to achieve this and envisage undertaking an open and competitive tender process in 2008 to secure a development partner.
“Until this process is underway we will not comment on any putative schemes and our primary interest is to secure the future of the market.”
Marshall said tenants have made it clear to all parties that they eventually want to secure ownership of a sustainable, affordable, workable and environment-friendly site. “We’ve really upped our game in the last 18 months. From being a body that was only consulted as an afterthought, CGTA is now working on a level playing field with all other parties.
“The tenants are the most important stakeholders in this whole process, and all we are looking for is the best end result for the market and its very famous 57-acre site. We want to embrace London and reinstate NCGM as the centre of the UK fruit and veg trade. We have the enthusiasm, expertise and entrepreneurialism in abundance to make that happen.”
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