Redbridge Council has put forward a 162-acre site in Fairlop as a possible place for the City of London to consolidate and relocate the capital’s fish, meat and vegetable markets – Billingsgate, Smithfields and New Spitalfields.
The council said it considered the site to be the only one large enough to achieve the City’s vision.
It added that the predicted combined £800m turnover could create up to 3,500 local jobs if it relocated to the East London area.
The City of London Corporation announced last summer that it was pushing ahead with plans to consolidate and relocate the markets.
It subsequently purchased the 42-acre site of Barking Power Station for a reported £125m and is now evaluating its suitability for possibly housing the markets.
Leader of Redbridge Council Jas Athwal, said: “Building upon the arrival of the Elizabeth Line later this year, we already have an established and bold strategy for growth in Redbridge that makes us the perfect partner to support the City of London’s vision for the future relocation of its markets.
“Local residents would welcome the creation of a large number of jobs in the area as well as the opportunity for an on-site college aimed at training new employees to work in the industry.”
Keith Prince, London Assembly Member for Redbridge and Havering, added: “Redbridge has a proud agricultural history which makes the site in Fairlop the natural choice to relocate Billingsgate, Smithfield and New Spitalfields markets on to one state-of-the-art modern wholesale facility.
There is a unique opportunity here to educate the public about the “farm to fork” cycle, with sustainable year-round food growing just metres from where it would eventually be sold, thanks to plans for on-site processing, packing and production facilities.”
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