The Market Square needs significant investment to secure long-term economic and social value for the city, and the council is committed to supporting the seven-day market to continue and thrive in the long-term.

Improvements are proposed through the council’s Civic Quarter project to reimagine the area in central Cambridge comprising the Guildhall, Corn Exchange, Market Square and public spaces in between. The proposals for the Market Square build on the vision for the Market Square that was agreed in March 2022.

Latest updates

• The planning applications related to the Market Square and public realm were considered by Planning Committee on 2 September 2026 and were approved. A further application related to the temporary market which would operate during any construction on the Market Square has been submitted to Greater Cambridge Shared Planning - GCSP is consulting on this planning application until 7 October. Find out more about planning applications.
• A further decision on whether to proceed with the Civic Quarter project will be taken by Cabinet and Full Council in autumn 2026.

The proposals

The proposals for the Market Square have been continuously evolving incorporating feedback from public engagement programmes, as well as market traders, market experts, heritage officers and the police.

The proposals include:

• 97 stalls in total (an increase from the initial proposal of 91) - with a commitment that all current traders would be able to return
• 55 permanent stalls (an increase from the initial proposal of 27), all with integrated power and lighting, some with solar panels and some with green roofs. 43 of these would be lockable stalls; 12 would be open
• 18 semi-permanent stalls. These would be fixed to sockets in the ground and feel permanent, but would be flexible enough to be taken down on a seasonal basis when not required by traders, such as January to April when the market is quieter. They would also be adaptable for other uses, such as providing sheltered seating in the evenings
• 24 demountable stalls. These would be quicker and easier to put up and take down as required, so that part of the Market Square would be available for additional trading during busier days and months – such as in the summer or at Christmas – or to provide flexible public space when demand from traders is lower
• retaining and refurbishing the existing fountain on the market, with the aspiration of making it fully functioning in the long-term
• a covered seating area featuring parasols around the fountain, along with trees providing shelter. The proposals respond to feedback about antisocial behaviour in covered areas not being caught on CCTV
• confirmation that toilets for traders will be renovated and remain situated in the Market Square basement to support traders, and that new underground bin facilities will be provided to significantly improve waste storage and collection processes.

At the latest of our regular meetings with traders (September 2026) traders were provided with an update about the support available to them during the works and on return to the new market. This support includes:

• commitment to provide all traders with space in the new market
• discounted rents for traders on the temporary market stalls, by at least 50%, based on the square metreage of the temporary stall size they use
• removing the normal 2% annual inflationary rent increase for 2027/28
• maintaining traders' pitch fees at the pre-decant level for the first 12 months on the redeveloped Market Square
• pro-bono marketing and communications support for traders during the temporary market
• reassurance that any impact to traders from changes to business rates which result from the change of stall type will be covered by the council for the first year as long as traders seek rate relief. More work will be done with traders on a 1:1 basis to explore this

Accessibility

The council is committed to making the Market Square, Guildhall, Corn Exchange and surrounding public spaces more inclusive and accessible through the Civic Quarter project.

Anyone who has visited the market will have seen that the ground desperately needs relaying. The pavement, road and setts on and around the market currently prevent people from accessing the market if they are wheelchair or pushchair users.

The proposals include resurfacing the whole area to make it much more accessible, while preserving the Victorian granite setts.

Temporary market arrangements during construction

The latest proposal for the temporary market to operate during any construction period, which would start in January 2027 if the proposals are approved in September 2026, would see stalls at King's Parade, St Mary's Passage, Petty Cury and Sidney Street. We are no longer considering the option of using Fisher Square due to feedback from traders.

These proposals would accommodate all current traders who wish to trade during the construction period, with 100 stalls available. However, due to space constraints, only 29 of these spaces would be able to accommodate the stalls used on the current market, with the remaining spaces needing to use smaller demountable stalls.

We are still working through the detail, with consideration being given to factors such as servicing, power supply, logistics and the potential impact on individual businesses.

Working with traders and stakeholders

We continue to meet regularly with market traders and other stakeholders as the project progresses. This includes discussions about stall design, market management, construction phasing and temporary arrangements during the works.

We are committed to keeping traders informed and involved as more detailed plans are developed, and further updates will be shared on this page.