Frequently asked questions

Work to identify who will operate the market when it reopens continues. During autumn and winter this year those who are interested in doing so will have a chance to express interest. The aim is to select an operator early in 2024, so they can work with us on plans for the Market while it is redeveloped.

Once the operator is confirmed it will be announced and they’ll explain more about how you can get in touch with them.

Work to identify who will operate the shared workspace in Burtons Chambers when it opens continues. During autumn and winter this year a procurement process for an operator will take place. The aim is to select an operator early in 2024, so they can work with us on plans for the shared workspace while Burtons Chambers is being renovated.

Once the operator is confirmed it will be announced and they’ll explain more about how you can get in touch with them.

An operator procurement process has taken place, led by CBRE and their sub-consultant, Barker Proudlove, to help us identify operators for both the Burtons Chambers and Market Hall.  

2-Work have been identified to operate the flexible co-working office space that will open in Burtons Chambers once renovation works are complete.  2-Work currently provide flexible, tailored workspace in space in locations across the north of England.  More information about them can be found here 2-work.co.uk 

The process for Market Hall is nearing completion and this text will be updated once the operator is selected. 

There are a number of ways to keep in touch.

We’ll keep this website up to date so you can see more about our plans.

We’ll share information on Social Media. You can find us on Facebook and Instagram, search for ‘Accrington Town Square’

We’ll hold events you can come along to, and information about those will be shared on this website and Social Media.

We’re in the process of setting up ways for businesses and organisations to register interest in being involved and will share more once that is established.

Want to be part of plans? Email: TCIP@hyndburnbc.gov.uk

Thanks for your interest – we are always pleased to hear from organisations who want to get involved.

The project has been underway for some time so we’ve already selected a number of members of the team, following the procurement strategy that was approved for the project, which is informed by the funding guidance.

A project team has been selected with the skills we need to progress the design – this includes project managers, cost manager, architects, engineers and other skills like town planning consultants.

A team has also been selected to help us select operators for Market Hall and Burtons Chambers.

We haven’t yet selected our operators – we’ll keep this page up to date with information about how that process is progressing

The procurement strategy confirmed the likely approach to procuring the Contractor required to carry out the works (using a Framework, likely to be Scape).

This process is underway. Once the Main Contractor is appointed they will engage with the supply chain needed to deliver the works, and will share more information about how to get involved.

Morgan Sindall Site Manager, Joel Murray, will be supporting the works. If you have any specific comments or concerns during the work, Joel is available via: 07966633697

Our priority for the project is to ensure that everyone’s health, wellbeing and environment are 100% Safe.

Some level of disruption as part of the construction activities will be unavoidable, but this will be planned well to avoid peak times and ensure the continuation of the market, local businesses and the general flow of traffic and pedestrians.

To keep the public informed of construction activities, a monthly newsletter will be available to view on the ATS website with hard copies distributed to local businesses and available at out Information Point in the Town Square.

If you have a specific concern, do please pop in and see the site team at the Morgan Sindall site office which is signposted around the Town Square. Alternatively, please contact site manager Joel Murray directly on joel.murray@morgansindall.com 07966 633 697.

The market operator will implement their own security during these times. We’re still working through design details on how areas will be locked and cordoned off. This will be an ongoing element of the project as we work with the operators and design teams.

The process will be laid out by the new operators of the Market Hall once appointed, but existing traders will have the opportunity to submit a proposal to the new market operator in early 2024. We will provide details of the process and application support when available.

The location of the area has not yet been agreed and these designs are still being reviewed by the multi-disciplinary team. When we are able to confirm with certainty these plans, we will make them available.

Market traders can be consulted on during the design development & build period. Once a contractor is appointed the detailed design will begin and further ways to be involved will be communicated then.

We are pleased to confirm that as part of the wider Market Hall redevelopment designs, the project team has held discussions with the Council’s Conservation Officer and planning proposals will shortly be submitted to Hyndburn Council which incorporates a Changing Places Toilet.

From January 2024, you will find Accrington Market Traders in new locations throughout Accrington. This is due to the transformational works starting inside Accrington’s Victorian Market Hall, on track for completion by Spring 2025. Many will be moving to the new ‘Market on the Square’..and work is now starting to prepare their new home.

Hyndburn own the Market Hall and have now acquired Burtons Chambers. We have funding to complete the land assembly required to deliver the vision and are continuing to talk to those who own, or work or live in the buildings about the plans and what they mean for them. The plan is to find a solution that works for everyone, and anyone who is impacted will have the chance to talk through the options available to them.

The Government would like the projects to be complete by March 2025 if possible, and although this is a tight timescale we’re trying to do so.

2023

• Design work has continued, consultation has taken place, and all planning applications have been submitted.
• Opportunities for surveys, investigations, and some enabling work positions have been arranged.
• Progress on identifying operates for Market Hall and Burtons Chambers once they are finished was progressed.
• A Contractor (builder) for the decant and enablingworks was appointed.
  The team continued working with everyone impacted by the works to come up with and a plan and execute this for them, which includedthinking about the best plans for the Market Traders while the works take place in the Market Hall.

2024

• We’re hoping the buildings will be ready for works to start properly during the beginning of the year. To achieve this, we’ll be aiming to conclude discussions with anyone impacted by the works.
• We have received planning approval for Burtons Chambers and the ‘Market on the Square, and will need to have decisions on the remaining planning applications.
• This will enable the works to commence
• Much of the work will be internal so it may not be obvious what is happening…but we’ll let everyone know how things are going.

2025

• The works will hopefully be coming to a close early in the year.
• The operators will begin plans for opening the new Market Hall and Burtons Chambers

We are committed to making sure these projects have the maximum positive impact for people and businesses and will work with you to understand your thoughts on how we do that. We’ve appointed a Social Value lead to help us do that and they are developing plans to hear ideas and create a plan to make this happen.

During December 2023, our Delivery Partner Morgan Sindall were preparing the Town Square to receive the market cabins that are creating the new ‘Market on the Square’. We’ve tried to keep the impact to a minimum but unfortunately to enable both the works to the three buildings (Market Hall, Burtons Chambers and Market Chambers) to take place and to bring in the ‘Market on the Square’ there is a need to makes some changes including moving benches and planters. Everything will be carefully removed, stored safely, ready to be re-installed at the end of the works in Spring 2025. The cabins have now all been delivered, and traders have begun moving in.

The Government-funded projects were selected through development of our Town Centre Investment Plan (TCIP). The TCIP sets out potential possible investments of around £70m, is predicted to generate up to £9.6million for the local economy each year, entice up to 820,000 visitors annually and support hundreds of new jobs. The TCIP was developed following an extensive period of consultation where a whole range of potential projects and ideas were identified, and a shortlisting process took place. The Plan was presented in a Full Council meeting on 13 January 2022, and will guide decision making and be used as a springboard to secure future funding and investment. It details a variety of projects and initiatives that will improve environmental quality in the town, encouraging sustainable growth for the local economy over the next 10-15 years, if implemented and can be found here.

The three projects are:

Accrington Market Hall, which will be refurbished and transformed into a food and drink destination for local people and to welcome visitors from across the county.

Burtons Chambers building, opposite the Town Hall and Market Hall, which will be restored to become a co-working space for local people to work from and for businesses and events.

Market Chambers building, next to Burton Chambers, which will be refurbished and repaired, aiming to enable transform it into a cultural, arts and heritage venue moving forward.

We’ve been really successful, and have now secured the £23 million required to deliver our initial Town Centre plans. We’ve secured:

• Government Funding: £23 million (including HBC and LCC match funding)
• Lancashire County Council’s £50 million Fund (Hyndburn indicative allocation): £15 million
• UK Shared Prosperity Fund: £3 million

We continue to identify opportunities to fund further projects in the TCIP and will update you as further funding is secured.