Go-ahead for town’s livestock market relocation

Hopes are high that the relocation plans for the market will provide a boost to the local economy and attract more farmers and buyers to the region.

The market is now set to move to a prime site near the junctions of the A64 Scarborough to Leeds road and the A169 road to Pickering.

As well as the livestock market on the 18 hectare site, there will be a business park for agricultural enterprises, a satellite of Bishop Burton College, and a retail complex which will sell farm machinery.

The scheme is being promoted by Commercial Development Projects (CDP) and the Fitzwilliam Trust Corporation, members of Ryedale District Council’s planning committee were told.

Derek Watson, head of auctioneers and livestock market company, Cundalls, and one of seven directors of a new company set up to progress the new market, Ryedale Farmers’ Livestock Market Company, told the meeting the existing market was already one of the largest in the North.

“It is vital that Malton retains a market,” he said.

“We want a chance to build on its current success.

A new market will enhance not only Malton but the whole of Ryedale because it will attract more farmers and buyers,” Mr Watson added.

Agricultural businesses in the region were looking for new sites, said Mr Watson, who is also a leading farmer in the district.

“Let us make Malton more successful with a new livestock market,” he urged members.

There was further support from Charles Vyvyan for developers, CDP who said that the new market and associated businesses on the site would create up to 800 new jobs as well as safeguarding existing ones.

He added that it was planned to start work on the market early next year.

“We have had many letters of support for the scheme,” said Mr Vyvyan.

But there was opposition to the scheme, with Annie Jones, of the Old Malton Residents’ Association, claiming the market would result in flooding in an area which has been badly hit in the past. In addition a green field site was being used for the development and residents feared a big increase in traffic going through the village.

“This is prime agricultural land,” she added.

Coun Paul Andrews unsuccessfully urged the committee to reject the scheme said it was “the most controversial” site which could have been selected because it would lead to an increased flooding risk in Old Malton.

The committee also approved three major housing schemes in the Malton area, put forward by CDP and Fitzwilliam Trust Corporation, to help pay for the market site complex scheme, estimated to cost around £17m. The sites are at the Showfield, Pasture Lane, Rainbow Lane, both Malton, and at Westgate, Old Malton.