e e a e Ma e e e Bringing the Wholesale Markets Together
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The City of London’s three wholesale food markets at Billingsgate, e New Spitalfields and Smithfield have been feeding London for e pp e a a e e hundreds of years, and we are committed to their future. Our number one priority is to maintain a top-quality market environment e ea a e a y a e a serving London – not just for today’s Londoners and tenants, but also for e p a tomorrow’s. Food supply, sustainability and environmental issues have never been so a p important, and our wholesale markets provide the framework to create new a a ways of feeding London with more sustainable, fresh produce. For this reason, I am passionate about investing in the future of our markets, as each e e e a market is facing a series of pressing challenges. e The market buildings are deteriorating and risk falling below the standards required of a modern wholesale market. Space is limited; maintaining Summar o Benefits food and health & safety standards is proving increasingly difficult and expensive; operating costs will only increase; and there is little opportunity e ep to expand.
We have a duty to act, to reduce the unsustainable levels of traffic in central London and improve the Capital’s air quality. Relocating our markets and making the most of sustainable logistics means we will be able to have a positive impact on these pressing concerns for London.
The move to Dagenham Dock will secure the future of the wholesale markets, providing more modern facilities and space for our tenants to grow so that they can continue to support London’s food economy for the next generation.
The markets co-location will also help meet the City of London Corporation’s wider policy objectives, ensuring that we improve air quality in the Capital; support a thriving economy; freeing up land for new homes and offices and achieving our Culture Mile ambitions.
I do hope that you will find this information helpful in explaining our vision for co-locating the wholesale markets and we look forward to your ongoing support.
Catherine McGuinness, Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee
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e pp e a e The UK’s largest inland fish market faces a a e e some of the biggest challenges given the stringent safety standards for handling fish. A new facility would provide a temperature- controlled environment. Currently, tenants rely on ice to keep their produce chilled on display in order to meet their customers’ expectations for fresh fish and to reduce the volume of food waste.
Smithfield
The Grade II* listed buildings means there are limitations on the modifications that can be made to improve trading conditions and enhance the efficiency of the market. One of the biggest challenges for Smithfield Market comes from being an open environment and the ongoing risk of mixing Smithfield Market. HGV’s forklift trucks, market workers, pedestrians, cars and cyclists.
e a e a e a e While there are limited spaces for While this move would positively impact The risk between market operations and the to ourish but the current acilities existing businesses to grow, there are our air quality, it would also make the public is expected to become even more a a e e a e also few available spaces for potential current locations of the markets even challenging with the opening of the Elizabeth ee a e a e a e new businesses to trade. more unsustainable. The introduction of line and the Museum of London’s relocation to and unsustainable the Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) and the West Smithfield. Co-locating the markets will lead to Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) is The condition and quality of the significant operational efficiencies and already increasing costs for businesses buildings are below what is expected of improvements to sustainability. The new and customers and by 2021, the ULEZ New Spitalfields a modern wholesale market and even markets will be created to offer a better, will have expanded to encompass all with significant investment, the markets safer environment for visitors. The UK’s largest wholesale fruit and three sites. would still be operating in old buildings The policy drive from the Mayor vegetable market was built in the early 1990s, in unsustainable locations. We believe the existing sites can be of London and the City of London but some parts of the building are already unlocked for better uses and the This along with the many constraints of Corporation is to improve London’s outdated and there is not enough room for City of London Corporation has a the buildings and the locations means air quality by reducing the number of tenants to store and display their produce. responsibility to ensure we make the the ability for businesses to maintain vehicles, especially HGV’s coming into The restrictive site design, which has no best use of high standards is an ongoing concern. the capital. unloading bays or delivery docks, creates the land. substantial operating challenges, including Meanwhile, the current layout and The New Spitalfields and Billingsgate safety issues between pedestrians and forklift space restrictions create substantial sites could become mixed-use truck drivers, which drive through the main operating challenges and act as barriers developments which could provide new market floor. to the expansion, and ultimately, the homes and office spaces. success of the businesses that buy and In the new market, sufficient space and better sell there. Freeing up the Smithfield site will help facilities for deliveries and collections can be us to realise our Culture Mile ambitions. integrated into the building, alleviating some of the current logistical challenges. In the current location, the market cannot expand as the adjacent land is Metropolitan Open Land.
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e ea a e y a e a y e e The location, which is in London, Co-locating the three wholesale markets a e a e e e e benefits from a direct link to the A13 onto this new site will lead to significant a y a e a e e a e a e a road network as well as rail and bus operational, safety and sustainability revive an abandoned industrial site links. Access to the River Thames also improvements for businesses, allowing presents a significant opportunity to use them to focus on providing the best offer After a wide-ranging search and the river for the movement of produce. for their customers and deliver wider thorough assessment against other benefits across the whole supply chain. 5 sites, Dagenham Dock – the site of a Early design work by architects, 12 Miles former power station – was identified as Chetwoods, has demonstrated how the The move will also provide an economic 2 the clear preference and most suitable three markets can be co-located on the boost to Barking and Dagenham. The 5. Miles site to co-locate the markets. 42-acre site. plan for the co-located markets has already received support from the leadership of the local authority. 1 1. Miles 4 11. Miles 6 6 Miles 2 . Miles 4.8 Miles
Map showing the current markets and the sites assessed during the site search process. Distances are measured from central London (Charing Cross).
e a e a Map Key e a a a a e a Smithfield Market Although the site was the closest to the This site was the former Barking Reach New Spitalfields Market existing markets, the relatively small Power Station and was acquired by Billingsgate Market acreage (around 19 acres) meant the the City of London Corporation in Silvertown, LB Newham market hall would be spread vertically December 2018. With 42 acres of
Fairlop, LB Redbridge over a number of levels, which is industrial land, connections to the rail something that the tenants did not want. network and the River Thames, the site Thames Enterprise Park, Thurrock had a number of advantages. Dagenham Dock, LB Barking and a p Dagenham o Redbridge The site in Fairlop offered a good An assessment was also made about e e p p e a balance between the size and proximity expanding New Spitalfields Market in p pe y a e a e to London. However, the land was Leyton to accommodate the other two search or a suitable location or our designated as green belt, and had little wholesale markets. The only potential markets potential to embrace more sustainable land was adjacent to the market, but transport solutions. Working with our tenants, an area broadly this is designated as Metropolitan Open to the east and north east of London a e e p e a Land. Obtaining planning permission on what is essentially green belt would emerged as the starting point of our The site in the Thames Enterprise have been contrary to the values of search. Park was large, at well over 100 acres, the City of London Corporation, and and was accessible by rail or river at Finding such a large piece of available consultation with stakeholders showed the nearby Thames Gateway Port. land was a challenge and compromises this option would not have been viable. needed to be made to find a suitable site. However, its distance from central London was a concern for tenants. In the spring of 2019, a full assessment A variety of sites were ultimately identified was carried out of the potential for further assessment, but most were a options, with the Dagenham Dock site compromise between location and size. considered the preferred option for realising our vision. The former Barking Reach Power Station site at Dagenham Dock.
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e p a
This is a concept design developed in consultation with tenants and reflects how the co-located market could look.
This scheme co-locates all three markets The buildings will be designed to target The design of each market supports A green corridor to the west of the site These entrances lead to an atrium which Our schematic layouts have also been to a new location creating a 21st century, a high BREEM level and the plans will wholesale, retail and process driven links the scheme to the existing public provides daylight to the market below and carefully designed to adapt to the wholesale food location for London and limit the upfront energy required during activities whilst allowing for future transport network and the River Thames. connects to an entrance on the east of ever-changing demands of the retail the UK, providing market tenants with construction and when operational. flexibility to meet demand as required. the site. market, with the potential introduction of From this route, visitors will be able to modern facilities in a location that offers a mezzanine level providing space for a Our aim is to create a scheme that places A multi-deck yard will provide parking access three individual market entrances. All three atria also serve as renewable room for growth. future retail offering. the health and wellbeing of occupants spaces for vans and cars at the front and Each entrance will be unique and identify energy generators, harnessing solar The development will be built with and workers at its heart. rear which allows for the separation of with the history and tradition associated power through photovoltaic panels. These are early layouts which will sustainable materials, using the latest vehicles with HGV deliveries taking place with these markets. form the basis of an outline planning environmental technology. to the rear at ground floor level. application to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.
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a p Case Study a p pp y a a pe a e e e e e
In 2012, Franprix, a French food The ‘last mile’ delivery to each retail company supported by XPO supermarket has also been improved Logistics started using the river as since the 2012 launch. Delivery is a transport mode to deliver produce carried out by vehicles complying to 100 of their supermarkets in the with Euro VI emissions standards, heart of Paris. and since the beginning of 2019, around half of the truck fleet run on The shipment is transported in a compressed natural gas. container, from the warehouse to a river port in the outskirts of the city by XPO estimated that in 2019 the river vehicle. From there it is shipped by barge solution equated to: barge on the River Seine for 15 km 9,000 fewer truck trips annually. to the Quai de la Bourdonnais, located near the Eiffel Tower. 35% reduction in carbon emissions (compared with an all Since the launch in 2012, XPO has Map showing the existing and proposed transport links to and from the Dagenham Dock site. road solution). continued to increase the number Co-locating three markets at Dagenham Dock requires a transport mix to ensure the markets are accessible, efficient and of containers transported by the XPO expects to add a second promotes a more sustainable environment. river. Today, 250 Franprix stores barge on the Seine to service more in the French capital are supplied Franprix stores and meet a projected a a e by mobile barges arriving at the increase to 11,000 containers. Bourdonnais Quay. We know that the reliability of the If the markets are to be less reliant on The Thames is one of London’s greatest road network, in particular the A13, the road network, we need to explore assets, and in line with our commitment is a concern and we recognise that a alternatives to road transport. to promote a more sustainable congested and unreliable strategic road environment, we are looking at the use One option we are looking at is using network will be a challenge for the new of the river for transporting produce, the rail network to deliver produce to and markets opening at Dagenham Dock. reducing the number of market vehicles from the market. The Dagenham Dock on the road. Our transport consultants and Be site benefits from a rail head (where First are supporting Transport for goods are loaded and unloaded), which To turn river freight into a reality we are London with a Strategic Plan for the branches off the main line and runs developing a strategy to pioneer using road. The plan will seek to prioritise along the eastern side of the site. the river to transport food in the UK. shorter-term improvements to the A13, We are working with stakeholders to Our first milestone will be to purchase to enable the co-located markets to secure a deeper understanding of how a jetty, close to the Dagenham Dock open around 2025/2026 – subject to we could use the rail network and what site. We will also need facilities in planning permission being achieved – challenges we would need to overcome central London for dropping off produce. and will also consider the longer-term to make it successful. We are working close with the Greater improvements required. London Authority, Port of London Rail Operations Group (UK) is Authority and nearby landowners planning to carry out a limited trial, about a river consolidation centre delivering small amounts of freight by in Dagenham and also the potential rail into central London. This work is of to develop other wharves in central great interest to us and could represent London for use by the markets and a model for transporting fresh other logistics providers. produce, providing important learning opportunities for similar projects. Photo of Franprix using the River Seine to transport food to their supermarkets in Paris.
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a a e e e a We know the future of retail is changing and this also applies to food retail and 1. 2. the hospitality sector. The Future of Food Transport and Logistics The move to the co-located market site e know that finding new will help to support our existing and e a e e p e ee e a future wholesale tenants in a changing ee e a a p a p a ep retail environment. As a responsible and in the uture achieving a more sustainable and landlord, we want to be at the forefront One of our challenges is how we competitive wholesale market of this change so we can ensure our encourage small businesses, which markets thrive. make up the majority of our tenants, Our second research topic is to think ahead now about longer-term focused on broadening our This is why we have been carrying out challenges, such as electronic ordering understanding of logistics and how research with partners and experts in and 5G connectivity, while keeping using the river and rail network a number of areas that we believe are their businesses running day-to-day. could change the way produce is vital to create a successful and modern brought to and from the markets. wholesale market at Dagenham Dock. More and more people rightly want to know where their food is Industry experts from Eddie Stobart, coming from, and creating the most Ocado, the Port of London Authority sustainable market possible – not and Transport for London are just in terms of produce, but also supporting our work as we look at operations – is also high on our freight consolidation to reduce the agenda. Feedback from this research volume of vehicles the markets suggested we could consider the create and explore alternatives such potential of growing produce on as rail and river. Photo of the Billingsgate Seafood School. the roof, creating a vertical farm, reducing the amount of waste e a e a e Link with industry and provide direct a e and increasing the volume that is a e a a e a p e pathways into employment. Our proposals include potential future recycled in addition to establishing a e pp y e y space to support apprenticeships, short an energy exchange. Offer existing and new market p a courses, classroom training, recreation tenants access to bespoke courses e a a courses, and food preparation space. aimed at supporting and growing a e a a e e their businesses. We continue to work closely with the to education and business local borough and Be First to see Encourage new businesses and We will look to provide a new Food which elements could be best located young entrepreneurs to establish School that builds on the success within the new markets and which ones themselves within the markets or of established practices like the will thrive in Barking Town Centre. within the local area, helping the Smithfield Apprenticeship Scheme main markets continue to thrive. and the Billingsgate Seafood Training School and activity supports the local Support the local community and community. work with local schools and colleges to teach cooking skills and increase pp e the understanding of food science A range of stakeholders across the and the food chain. London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and the South East would Provide an environment where benefit from the inclusion of a food skills, ground-breaking ideas and education and training presence as it will: innovation flourish, helping the markets stay relevant in a rapidly Train tomorrow’s market traders, changing world. providing the skills required to develop our future butchers, fishmongers, and fruiterers. Photo example of a vertical farm.
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e a e Plans for this site will be brought forward by a developer and determined by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in line with Greater London Authority planning policy. The draft Local Plan, says the Billingsgate site could become:
A mixed-use development to provide a e Ma e new homes and office spaces. e Ma e Support uses such as gyms, open space, hotels, restaurants and retail.
Opportunity to activate the docks that front onto the water. Map data ©2019 Google Earth. Map data ©2019 Google Earth.
There are significant benefits o Smithfield New Spitalfields e ea e e a e e e e e e Culture Mile is a major destination We recognise the importance of these Plans for this site will be brought on three o our corporate ob ectives for culture and creativity in the City Market buildings, which have housed forward by a developer and determined to contribute to a ourishing societ of London and the Smithfield Market Smithfield Market for over 150 years. by the London Borough of Waltham to support a thriving econom and buildings will form an integral part of this. Our aim is to protect their historic fabric Forest. Possibilities for the future of the to shape outstanding environments and enhance the overall structures. site include: The Museum of London has exciting The New Spitalfields and Billingsgate plans to move into the former General Architects, Studio Egret West, will help A mixed-use development with a sites could become mixed-use Market, Annexe buildings and elements us to develop concepts for a vibrant, focus on delivering new homes, developments which could provide of the Poultry Market buildings at West mixed-use development that fits at which reflects the site’s position new homes and office spaces; while Smithfield, which will signal the start the core of Culture Mile. The plans within the borough’s key corridor for Smithfield could be reimagined to house of a new chapter for the wider Market will maintain the historic character of economic growth and intensification. uses that complement the City of London buildings. the existing buildings and ensure their e p a e Ma e An opportunity to accommodate Corporation’s emerging Culture Mile. legacy for the next 150 years, serving creative industries to retain visitors and Londoners alike. There are also opportunities to employment and respond to the contribute positively to sustainability borough’s status as the first London and reduced traffic. Borough of Culture.
Legislation will be required to complete A new railway station – Ruckholt the formalities for relocating the Road on the edge of the site. wholesale markets. Map data ©2019 Google Earth.
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Summar o Benefits
Bringing the wholesale markets together will secure the uture o London s wholesale markets b creating a modern, sustainable ood centre or London and the South East Benefits o the move will be elt across the whole ood suppl Making use of the river to chain, as well as or the boroughs and or Londoners transport food, reducing the pressure on the nearby road network.
Align with existing and emerging environmental and transport policy to remove the most polluting vehicles from central London.
Regenerate a disused brownfield industrial site and act as a catalyst for further growth in the area.
Release land to enable mixed-use developments which could provide new A modern and sustainable Create a single location for homes, offices, retail and co-located food location, customers to purchase goods. cultural spaces. which will serve existing and future generations. Work with the London Pave the way to create a Borough of Barking and new cultural destination at Provide significant operational, Dagenham to provide a new West Smithfield, helping to safety and sustainability training school, which will maintain London’s global improvements to allow new train future market traders competitiveness. and existing businesses and food workers across all to flourish and grow. levels.
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e a e e e ep We held a public consultation in the summer of 2019 on our If you have any comments or would like to talk plans for co-locating the markets to the Dagenham Dock site with the markets team, you can contact us at ndicative timeline and sub ect to change with local residents, businesses and market tenants. marketsprogramme cit o ondon gov uk. Most recently, we have consulted with local residents and We are committed to continuing our engagement businesses around the potential new location for the markets at with our tenants, local authorities, communities and Dagenham Dock, with a view to submitting an outline planning other key stakeholders throughout the programme application to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. to co-locate the markets.
p e e Late Outline planning application Detailed planning application Approximate date a y submitted to the London Borough November for Dagenham Dock for Royal Assent, if Businesses move in and of Barking and Dagenham. Submission of Private Bill. submitted. Parliament is content. new markets open.
a a y e e e September a Consultation on plans for the London Borough of Barking and Detailed design for Detailed Planning September Mixed-use Dagenham Dock site launched. Dagenham’s Planning Committee Dagenham Dock. Approval. Construction of the new developments expected to deliver planning decision. co-located markets. including homes, offices, and retail could start to be delivered on the old market sites.
18 19 The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK