English Cities Fund (ECf), the developer behind the Rathbone Market redevelopment scheme in Canning Town, London, has recently announced that local economic development charity, Community Links, has been selected as their preferred partner to operate Rathbone Market, as part of its redevelopment plans for the market.
USM has been advising ECf on the market since 2011. Over that time we have assessed the operation and had an input on the design of the new market square as well as advising on management options. The market is currently managed by LB Newham under the London Local Authority Act 1990 and part of the overall redevelopment masterplan agreement is to “de-designate” the market and pass the management to ECf and their chosen operator.
We managed the tendering process which involved contacting a wide range of market operators, putting together the tender documents and running the bid process. Our role will continue for another year, advising ECf and working with Community Links over the period of their launch and market management start-up phase.
ECf is delivering a 680,000 sq.ft (63,174 sq.m) mixed-use scheme, with retail on the ground floor and residential above, across three phases. A major element of the scheme was to include a new market square and market at the heart of the development.
