Enhancing the existing offer at the heart of the market town, Melton Mowbray’s Stockyard will feature a new hub for food and drink production, cultural experiences, education and markets.
Melton Mowbray already has a nationwide reputation as the ‘Rural Capital of Food’, and the Stockyard leans into this with its markets on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday featuring local producers and vendors.
Stockyard is situated to the south of the cattle market, between Scalford Road and Nottingham Road in Melton Mowbray.
The hub will deliver a flexible anchor building for education, artisan businesses, and food producers, alongside a strong events offer using the banqueting suite, exhibition hall, and purpose-designed outdoor square. Underused buildings on Nottingham Road will be transformed into units for creative businesses. Reimagined, the site will support the local community while attracting visitors and businesses from further afield.
To create a destination offer that will support the regional education offering and the growth of businesses within the local economy while attracting visitors to the area.
UK government funding
food and drink production hubs created
weekly market visitors
What is the Stockyard project and what will be the benefits from it?
Stockyard in Melton Mowbray is set to become a vibrant hub celebrating the town’s identity as the rural capital of food. Located within the historic Cattle Market, the project will transform underused buildings and create three new buildings into modern spaces for food and drink production, events, and creative learning.
Stockyard will bring together local producers and visitors, blending the “farm to fork” experience with opportunities to discover, taste, and learn. It will showcase Melton’s heritage and craftsmanship while creating a destination that drives footfall, supports local businesses, and enhances the town’s appeal.
In short, Stockyard is about:
How is the project being funded?
Following a nationwide bid process, Rural Innovation in Action was awarded £22.95 million from UK Government funding in 2023, of which £12m will be used to redevelop Stockyard.
Each authority is also contributing a proportion of additional funding to each of their projects.
What changes are being made?
The funding covers:
Why are you investing in new buildings and not renovating old ones?
The funding has been secured to support the improvement and development of an existing and under-utilised space. This development will transform the area and provide significant additional employment space for food producers and manufacturers to move into the site.
The transformation of the existing car park into a multifunctional event space will also increase the level of weekend and evening activity taking place on the site, supporting the wider economy and other tenants of the wider Stockyard area.
Renovations to existing buildings are also taking place as part of the scheme of works. We are upgrading the trader hall, exhibition hall and banqueting suites to improve the space available as well as transforming the units on Nottingham Road into spaces for creative businesses to flourish.
What will this investment mean for the Borough of Melton area and how will this benefit the local economy?
Alongside the regional and national events that will occur, Stockyard will cater to more local events that will also give back to the community and enhance the sense of place.
Stockyard will serve as a central hub for fostering innovation in the food and drink industry. It will act as a driving force for investment in the town, showcasing the Borough of Melton as a hub of innovation and a catalyst for local trade and enterprise.
It will also support Loughborough College Group by looking to secure a home for its well renowned performing arts courses, ensuring students continue to learn and perform locally.
Will Stockyard take footfall away from the town centre?
The development will complement the current offering in Melton Mowbray town centre, and reinforce the existing links in three main ways:
Continuity of signage and signposting within the town – Stockyard will signpost and direct visitors to the wider town area. This will be done through different mediums such as on-site visual interpretation panels, signage and in the design of the public realm to draw people across the site and into the town centre area
Tourism offer – the uses and activities within the site will create an offer that draws more people to Melton Mowbray more often. This will expand the reach of Melton Mowbray as a tourism destination and attract new footfall and spend across the town by giving people, who may not otherwise have had a reason to come to the borough, a reason to attend and explore further afield
Complementary event activity – the key to the town’s success is ensuring that events do not take place in isolation from the town centre. The council has committed to working with partners to ensure that during events at Stockyard, complementary activity is taking place in the town to ensure they can benefit from each other. This site will also increase the frequency of events within Melton Mowbray, once developed.
Has a planning application been submitted for the development of Stockyard?
Yes, a planning application was submitted in June 2024 for Stockyard, and has been granted subject to a Section 106 agreement. The planning application reference number is 24/00667/FUL, the application and all of the accompanying documentation can be viewed on Melton Borough Council’s planning website at www.melton.gov.uk/StockyardPlanningApplication by clicking on the ‘Documents’ tab at the top of the page. You can read more about the planning approval here.
On 17 December 2025, revised proposals were presented to Cabinet following a value engineering exercise and the development of a collaborative partnership with Loughborough College Group, these plans ensure the design delivers on its promise and serves Melton Mowbray with a future-proofed facility.
How can Melton Borough Council determine its own Planning Application?
Melton Borough Council acting as the Local Planning Authority will decide the planning application in due course at its Planning Committee. The application will be presented by a Planning Officer to members of the planning committee, and the report will be published a week in advance of the meeting. The Local Planning Authority is a separate legal entity to the Borough Council for decision making purposes, and there is no guarantee that planning permission will be granted for the proposal. The proposal will be assessed in accordance with the Development Plan as a whole and a determination will be made on this basis unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
Who is working on the project?
Melton Borough Council is the accountable body responsible for delivering the scheme of work at Stockyard. The council’s project team will work closely with Melton Mowbray Market’s current occupiers and in consultation with a range of stakeholders.
What will happen to the events during the year that take place while construction is going on?
It is not expected that the 2026 calendar of events will be disrupted. For any events taking place during the build programme, the council is currently liaising with key event organisers at Stockyard to look at alternative arrangements.
What will happen to the toilets while they are being refurbished?
Whilst the toilets are being refurbished, temporary toilets will be made available. The location of this facility has been relocated to a more central and inclusive position, with additional improvements to an increased number of toilet facilities onsite.
What measures will be taken to ensure safety for visitors during construction?
The construction team will have comprehensive safety protocols in place, including site fencing, signage, and designated walkways, and will be experienced in adhering to strict safety standards. Melton Borough Council will take every precaution to ensure a safe environment throughout the construction process through independently monitoring how sitewide safety is being adhered to.
Some of the government funding for the refurbishment of Melton Theatre has been repurposed for the Stockyard – why is this and what will it be used for?
Originally, £2m was allocated for the refurbishment of Melton Theatre as part of the successful UK Government Funding (LUF) bid. However, following a ‘notice to improve’ issued by the Further Education Commissioner due to SMB College Group’s financial position, the college had to hand back the funding. The site, along with its financial liabilities, was subsequently inherited by Loughborough College Group. Despite extensive consultation, it became clear that the theatre could not operate sustainably, and the investment required to secure its future far exceeded the original allocation.
To ensure the funding remained in Melton and continued to support cultural development the decision was made to reallocate the £2m to Stockyard. Following the outcome of LCG’s consultation, the council worked with Loughborough College Group to identify a credible alternative, and the concept of creating a cultural hub within the redevelopment began. This hub will provide space for performances, exhibitions, and creative learning, alongside facilities for food and drink production and events.
Importantly, this partnership safeguards the future of performing arts education in Melton. Loughborough College Group will relocate its performing arts courses to Stockyard, ensuring students continue to learn and perform locally in modern, inspiring spaces. The additional funding will also enhance the cultural offer across the wider Stockyard site, creating a vibrant destination that benefits the whole community.
Do I need to pay to enter the new development at the Stockyard?
“Business as usual” activity on the Stockyard will remain free, while some events may require ticketed entry, as per current arrangements.
Is Scalford Road Car Park being sold?
The council has explored all options for Scalford Road Car Park and decided at a Cabinet meeting in December 2025 that this will be retained now. This reverses a previous disposal decision.
Which businesses will be occupying the new units?
The process of finding occupiers for the new units is underway and we are already receiving enquiries from prospective tenants. If you’d like to register an interest, please email TFoster@melton.gov.uk
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