I read with interest last week’s article in the Watford Observer (March 19) regarding Watford Borough Council’s proposal to fund Watford Market by further embedding its location on the ring road.

From a health & safety viewpoint this must be entirely wrong; pollution levels must be a high risk to the health of market stall traders and clearly not compatible with the sale of food and fresh produce.

I would urge the council, under the ‘Town Hall Quarter’ development plan, to consider my proposal for the re-location of the Watford Market.

A plaza at the heart of the ‘Town Hall Quarter’ that unifies the Town Hall with the town centre will require structural changes with regard to routing the Rickmansworth Road; in essence the primacy of pedestrians must prevail over the current primacy of vehicles.

The construction of this expansive civic space would facilitate the relocation of the market to the site with the most potential to provide business confidence for quality market traders; ensuring that Watford gets the dynamic and thriving market it deserves. This relocation will enable it to rival the best markets in the UK and throughout the continent of Europe.

The potential grandeur of this municipal edifice will never be realised within the current proposed reconfigurations; which only serve to reinforce the separation between the Town Hall Quarter and the High Street (as shown in the Development Plan).

Under the council’s proposed reconfiguration ‘The Town Hall Quarter’ will remain at the heart of itself, and the opportunity to be the proud municipal heart of the town centre, with a thriving market, will be lost for ever.

Paul Rowbottom

Abbots Langley