Livestock market move raises road safety fears for schoolchildren

12:16pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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SWITCHING Malton Livestock Market from its historic place in the town centre to Showfield Lane could prove a road safety hazard with increased traffic using the busy link road to two schools and an industrial estate, members of Malton Town council heard last Wednesday.

Coun Mike Knaggs said he was worried that children attending the town's community primary and catholic primary schools could be at risk if the twice-weekly market, with its resultant heavy trucks and farm traffic, moved to the already busy Showfield Lane area.

In addition, said Coun Knaggs, he had had regular talks with farmers and questioned whether they would be prepared to invest in helping to fund a new relocated market as part of the development blueprint for Malton.

His comments came during a public debate on the new Malton town centre strategy which has been put out for consultation by Ryedale District Council and its consultants, WPS.

The lease on the market has been extended for six months to enable an alternative site to be located because the Fitzwilliam Estate has ambitious plans to redevelop the existing site.

Clerk Mike Skehan said a steering group set up by the district council and consisting of business and civic leaders, conservation groups and others with an interest in Malton's future was meeting regularly.

"The process will lead to an enabling strategy for people to make the right decisions and to make things happen," he said. "It is based on the belief that Malton needs something significant to move it on."

David White, a retired senior education manager who moved to Malton five years ago from Oxford, said he was concerned that Malton was "dying", adding: "Shops are closing. There is no consolidated policy on development and no strategy. We don't brand the town because until we do we won't get investors coming into the town."

He added that Malton had potential as a tourist centre with its Roman remains and St Mary's Priory. "There is a lot of concern about the future of Malton.

"Ad hoc decisions which are being taken are not in its best interests in the long run. Shopkeepers are concerned about trade and they and the town need to know how long it will be before we see some action."

Former councillor Chris Harding said the town council had to be seen to be having an involvement in the future planning of Malton.

Coun Jason Fitzgerald-Smith said work was underway in exploring sites in Malton for future development. "We are re-acting to the proposals in the hope that we get the best possible solutions."

He added that once the public re-action was collated to the WSP proposals they would go before the district council.

• A spokeswoman for district council said last night that a formal application for the redevelopment of the livestock market site and the possible transfer of the market to Showfield Lane had not yet been received by the authority.