Enhancing the existing offer at the heart of the market town, Melton Mowbray’s Stockyard will feature a new hub of food and drink production units and events space.
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 provide an area for food and drink production and networking opportunities for local small and upcoming producers.
Under-used buildings to the south of the Cattle Market site will be converted into units for local food and drink businesses, where production activity can be part of the visitor experience.
The space will be used for the community and to attract visitors from further afield through events and activities held there.
To create a destination offer that will attract visitors to the area while also supporting the growth of businesses within the local economy.
UK government funding
food and drink production units created
weekly market visitors
What is the Stockyard project and what will be the benefits from it?
Stockyard is located between Nottingham Road and Scalford Road, south of the Cattle Market. The project will develop a new hub for food and drink production with events space. The hub will provide units for local producers, blending production activities with the visitor experience. Underused and dilapidated buildings and sheds onsite will also be transformed into food production units, enhancing the area and showcasing the borough‘s heritage and creativity through new and existing initiatives.
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 this 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.
The council has recently taken the difficult decision to reallocate £2m worth of funding originally allocated to improvements at Melton Theatre to the Stockyard Project. This decision was made following confirmation from SMB College Group that they would not be in a position to undertake the required work moving forward. As part of this work, the current trader hall will be renovated to be used as a multipurpose space, further enhancing the site. These improvements will consist of upgrades to the electrical and lighting infrastructure, new floors and roof and the introduction of walls on the extremities to enable the site to become a more usable space during times of poor weather and into the evenings. Further information on this project can be seen under the heading ‘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? ‘.
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 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.
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:
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.
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.
What are the proposed timelines for Stockyard?
Subject to the receipt of the relevant consents (including planning approval), work on site is due to begin in December 2024, with a construction programme of approximately 15–18 months. Regular updates will be provided through the Melton Borough Council and Rural Innovation in Action websites and social media platforms.
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 2024 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. However, we expect the newly refurbished toilets will be open and available to use earlier than other elements of the project.
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?
As part of the original successful application to the UK government for the funding, £2m was assigned for the refurbishment of Melton Theatre, which is managed by SMB College Group. Since the award of this funding, the college group has received a ‘notice to improve’ from the further education commissioner due to its financial position.
Due to this and other contributing factors, it was determined that despite work between Melton Borough Council and SMB College Group to secure the future of the theatre and wider Melton campus site, the theatre provision will no longer be deliverable within the Rural Innovation in Action programme.
In order to retain the funding for Melton, reallocating the £2m to the Stockyard was identified as the only credible option that satisfied the criteria of the grant and would prevent the money being returned to central government.
The additional funding will be used to bring an enhanced cultural offer within the trader hall units on the Stockyard, including enclosing the space and providing the relevant infrastructure to support cultural events, shows and activities throughout the year – all while providing a more welcoming space for existing users and tenants.
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.
Where will people park when events are on, if the festival square is used as an event space?
When Festival Square is not in use as a carpark, there is alternative public parking available. For a list of council-run car parks visit: Parking Information
Which businesses will be occupying the new units?
The process of filling the production units has not yet started, but we are already receiving enquiries from prospective tenants. If you’d like to register an interest, please email wjs@apbleicester.co.uk
Keep up to date with the latest news and developments with The RIIA Roundup.
Rutland County Museum