Queen Victoria Market sheds restoration approved after planning debacle
Melbourne’s beloved Queen Victoria Market is set for a major makeover after years of consultation, but Lord Mayor Sally Capp says traders won’t be disrupted.
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Plans to restore Queen Victoria Market’s iconic sheds have been given the green light after a previous controversial proposal was rejected.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp confirmed Heritage Victoria had approved the restoration permit, which will see work on the market start in May.
All 12 of the sheds – which cover almost half of the Queen Victoria Market site – will be repaired under the plan, improving structural stability and safety.
Melbourne City Council’s original proposal to dismantle the sheds and restore them off site, while also digging out a basement area, was binned by Heritage Victoria after it prompted hundreds of objections.
The restoration is expected to take a number of years to complete and the council admitted that traders will have to relocate temporarily while works are underway.
However the Lord Mayor insisted that the council is making sure that business is not affected for traders.
“We’ll be working closely with traders to ensure they have all the support they need to continue to run their businesses throughout the restoration, including signage and individual business mentoring through our $8 million Trader Connect program,” she said.
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Melbourne City Council has yet to appoint a contractor to carry out the conservation project.
Councillor Rohan Leppert, who is Chair of the Arts, Culture and Heritage portfolio, assured that the original features of the 140 year old sheds will not be lost in the restoration works.
“We want to retain the characteristics that reflect the historical use of the market, such as dints and grooves on posts that date back to when customers and traders hitched their horses to the posts 100 years ago,” he said.