Stockyard review to be put before cabinet in special meeting

The cabinet of Melton Borough Council will meet next week to discuss a review of design, procurement and operational plans of the proposed 'Stockyard redevelopment project.

In an update issued this morning (Wednesday) Melton Borough Council said the whole project aims to transform the Stockyard at Melton Cattle Market into a regional destination for food, drink, markets, and cultural experiences. The current progress, and proposals to enlarge the project are to be presented to Cabinet on 17th December, which if accepted, will be a milestone step for the project.

The plans focus around the Anchor Building which is described as 'a striking gateway to the site, offering flexible, fully fitted floors offering potential spaces for educational purposes or artisan businesses and food producers.'

The plans say that the top floor will become a stylish event space for conferences and celebrations, with scope for workshops or training sessions to support skills development. 

Also included in the plans to be put before Cabinet are the 'Nottingham Road Studios' which will be four modern, energy-efficient units designed for creative industries and start-ups, fully equipped for immediate use. 

The hot topic around the Borough is the potential loss of Melton Theatre following the recent news that Loughborough College Group plan to sell the whole Melton site after three failed rescue bids, which is to include the library building.

It's been proposed by Loughborough College Group and Melton Borough Coucil that a 'cultural hub' will be included in the Stockyard development as an alternative to the theatre.

Melton Borough Council said that the review of Stockyard came at a pivotal moment, 'enabling the Council to formally consider a Cultural Hub as part of the redevelopment.'

A statement issued alongside the plans said: "It complements the existing work the Council is doing to strengthen both heritage and cultural assets and promotion across the Borough. The partnership with Loughborough College Group will look to secure a home for their performing arts courses, ensuring students continue to learn and perform locally.  

Located within the Banqueting Suite and Exhibition Hall, the recently announced hub will offer versatile spaces for performances, exhibitions, conferences, and education. By combining community and corporate use, it could become a financially sustainable, inspiring venue that strengthens Melton’s cultural identity."

The statement added that 'the Council has committed to working collaboratively to develop the Cultural Hub and will be supporting community and stakeholder engagement to enable the development of the design.'

Featured within the documents issued on Wednesday it says the preferred option for the development of a cultural offer at the Stockyard is to establish a 'Culture House model'.

It reads that 'Melton Mowbray can turn the challenge of losing a small local theatre to the opportunity to reinvent cultural provision via an innovative Interdisciplinary cross-art-form culture house model. This will be a ‘theatre plus’, combining spaces for rehearsal, development, presentation and exchange. It will speak to the needs and aspirations of local people and provide pathways for talent the access tailored courses; spaces and programmes for communities to access space for exchange and development; and opportunities for all to encounter innovative cultural experiences across all art-forms. This will be the home for culture in Melton Mowbray and for surrounding communities.'

The boutique creative learning hub - for small-scale events, such as poetry / spoken word, puppetry and circus. This micro space will provide a provide a dynamic programme of community and education-facing work which diversifies the overall offer of Stockyard and brings active day and night time use.

While the question on most people's lips is 'What does this mean for performing arts and our theatre' it would appear that we might have to wait to find out what the offering will look like as no drawings have been prepared for the cultural offering yet.

It goes on to say: "To ensure Culture House drives the culture-led transformation of Meltpn [sic] Mowbray, it will be important to maximise the impact of its constituent parts and to join the dots between Culture House and other key hubs and programmes in neighbouring areas. Key Culture House components will complement each other at a transported Stockyard. Each will drive a specific development area for culture, interwoven as a shared overall experience"

The Stockyard project was already confirmed to be running behind schedule earlier this year. Following an email to the Council from NEMM for an update on progress, an update was issued by the Council Leader Pip Allnatt confirming the project wouldn't start until at least July 2026.

The Council is also proposing to change to how the contractor for the works is being sourced to ensure the project delivers the best value for money, increases social value and ensures high-quality delivery. 

The Council say that this proposed change will still allow for the work to begin in July 2026, following procurement and mobilisation phases. A new Stockyard website will launch in January 2026, providing updates and opportunities for tenants and visitors. 

Councillor Pip Allnatt, Leader of the Council, said: “I am recommending the improvements partly because it will enable the Trader Hall to be included. Repairs and improvement are long overdue and neither the Trader Hall nor the Banqueting suite were part of the old LUF programme. We have listened to our traders. We have also listened to the many residents who have asked us to retain the Scalford Road car park.  

This project is about more than buildings- it’s about people and creating a destination that celebrates Melton’s heritage, supports local businesses, and offers cultural experiences for all. The inclusion of the Cultural Hub and improved designs will make Stockyard a place where business, creativity, and community come together.” 

The plans will be put before Melton Borough Council's Cabinet at a public meeting on Wednesday 17th December at 4:30pm at Melton's Parkside building. The meeting will also be streamed live on Youtube and the public are welcome to attend or view online.

You can see all of the plans which will be presented to Cabinet online here.

The meeting will be broadcast on Youtube here.