AS DEMOLITION work gets underway at Hatherleigh Market, the property developer building 102 homes on the site has pledged to ensure that a community market continues throughout the build.

Kingswood Homes says the weekly Tuesday market will continue in temporary buildings on the site until a new market pavilion is constructed.

The demolition of the the main market building where Hatherleigh livestock market has been held since the 1950s has taken place over the past few weeks, ready for work to start early in the New Year constructing the first 28 houses and nine bungalows of the development.

The pannier market continues in sheds elsewhere on the site until this is demolished to make way for the new market pavilion in phase three of the build.

Kingswood Homes managing director Paul Jones said: ‘We want to ensure that the weekly market can continue safely and successfully throughout the construction process.

‘We are committed to letting the market operate on our land, rent-free, throughout the development works. We have plans in place to ensure the market traders can continue to operate and local people continue to enjoy visiting the weekly market.

‘During construction of the new market building we will provide temporary accommodation to ensure trade can continue without a break.’

The development will provide a total of 102 homes, a mixture of two, three and four bedroom houses along with 21 bungalows and one and two bedroom apartments above new retail units aimed at local businesses.

Kingswood Homes says the first show homes will be available to view in the spring, with the first residents set to move in during the summer of next year.

Kingswood Homes managing director Paul Jones said: ‘We know how important this site is, not just to the people of Hatherleigh but the wider area, and how much-needed new homes and a modern market will benefit the town.

‘We listened to the comments made through extensive consultation and altered the existing permission specifically to include bungalows and apartments, which now means local people have options to remain in their home town.’