Campaign victory as Queens Market plans scrapped

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Long-running plans to redevelop Queens Market in Newham have been withdrawn after regeneration specialist St. Modwen and the local council were unable to reach agreement on timescale.

St Modwen presented revised plans for the site last year – including a request for a time extension to deliver the proposals - after London mayor Boris Johnson vetoed its original planning application, involving the construction of a 31-storey tower block.

The veto followed a long campaign by the Friends of Queen's Market group, which argued that St Modwen’s redevelopment would disrupt trading, increase rents and make the market less affordable for customers.

The decision to scrap the plans is seen as a victory for the campaign.

Secretary of the Friends of Queens Market group Pauline Rowe said: ‘It’s a great day for the hundreds of traders and ordinary people who have supported the seven-year long fight and we give them our heartfelt thanks. Our market is saved.'

St Modwen said its plans would have seen a £100m investment, providing improved market facilities and ‘much-needed’ housing, although campaigners claimed only 30 of the flats would have gone to local people on the housing waiting list.

In February Newham Council announced it had been in talks with St Modwen to thrash out a 'mutually acceptable timeframe’ for the project but acknowledged that an agreement over timing ‘might not be achievable’.

This week, the regeneration specialist announced its withdrawal, after failing to agree with the council on how to progress the scheme.

London regional director at St Modwen Tim Seddon said: ‘Without agreement on the fundamentals of design, approach and timing, the sensible course of action now for us is to, reluctantly, withdraw.

‘We are hugely disappointed for Queens Market’s traders and shoppers with whom we have developed a strong working relationship. Queens Market is a wonderful place but it is crying out for regeneration.’

A Newham Council spokesperson said the local authority was unwilling to wait until 2014 for works to begin under St Modwen’s revised timetable.

He added that the council remained fully committed to the future of Queens Market, and viewed the decision as ‘an opportunity to take stock and find a developer who can bring continued success to the market’.

But Ms Rowe said the Friends group will continue to fight private development that does not meet the needs of local people.

‘Our campaign, with the backing of local communities, has seen off Asda in 2006 and now St Modwen in 2010. If the council tries to bring another private developer in over the head of the people without proper consultation we will certainly do our best to see them off, too.’