Stallholders and traders at the Queen Victoria market feel they’ve been left out of the decision process to redevelop the market.

In Tuesday’s Future Melbourne Committee meeting, traders voted unanimously to reject the plan to convert the car park and take it underground.

Queen Victoria Market Advisory Committee member Jenny Pike said it appeared as though the consultation process was aimed at supporting a “predetermined outcome”, meaning traders’ concerns were not given enough thought.

The market employs more than 100 people, and more than 20 stall holders at the market are from a Greek background.

These businesses have been in operation for more than 20 years, and for many, any change in the way the market operates will directly affect them.

The traders were consulted last November before the committee moved on to gage public sentiment.

The market has been bankrolled $250 million from the Melbourne City Council to start redevelopments. The committee hopes to roll out five key project concepts, including creating land for mixed use development and adapting the upper market sheds.

The mixed use area will most probably come from the existing car park area, something that has traders most worried.

Stall holder Steven Constantinidis who runs The Epicurean Deli says redevelopment should look to improve traffic, not cutting existing parking spots.

“The only thing they will go wrong with is if they don’t give us a good sustainable car park, at a sustainable price. My suggestion would be to have two, three hours of cheap parking, but then for people who decide to continue their shopping in the city while parked here, it should be more,” he told Neos Kosmos.

Eight out of 10 seafood stalls are run by Greeks and nine out of the 14 delicatessens are Greek. Almost all of the stall have been long running family businesses.

Bill Tzimas, owner of Bill’s Farm for 24 years is happy to see redevelopment but is concerned with frivolous construction in the area.

“To make the market more accessible is our main issue – if it means building 50-storey apartments overlooking the Flagstaff Gardens, let it be. But if it means disruption and fewer car park spaces, then it’s not worth it.”

Most stall holders agree refurbishment is needed and want to see projects that increase traffic through the market, not hinder it.

The Friends of Queen Victoria Market group has collected thousands of signatures to implore Premier Denis Napthine to withdraw support until traders and the community are properly consulted.

Source: The Age