Exclusive by Karen Evans
The livestock market in Builth Wells has been revealed as the preferred location for a new combined health and social care service in the town.
A targeted public consultation will now take place over the next four weeks to find out what stakeholders and the community feel about the proposed site.
A multi-agency project board, including representatives from Powys County Council, Powys Local Health Board, Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations, together with a variety of representatives from the community, was set up to develop the new health and social care scheme.
It has looked at about six possible sites in the Builth Wells area, believed to include the cricket club, a green playing area and the livestock market, both public and privately owned, and has carried out detailed analysis of the options available.
“The analysis has consistently shown that the most appropriate location for the project is the livestock market,” said a spokesperson for Powys County Council.
But Irving Parry, Director of Brightwells which runs the livestock market, said they had not been consulted at all over the proposals and no alternative site for the market had been suggested. “There had been rumours about the place but we cannot believe that they want to close the market as Builth Wells is within the top five sheep markets in Wales. It produces a revenue stream for them from the rent we pay, it acts as overspill car parking and we know that a greenfield site has been offered for the hospital.
“We are amazed that they want to construct a hospital on a town centre site; car parking will be an issue as it will have to be offered for free at the hospital and will people pay elsewhere or use the hospital car park while they shop, for free?
“There has been absolutely no consultation with the farming community and it’s our intention to hold a number of open meetings with farmers.
“We are writing to all of our clients telling them the news and asking them to contact their local councillors.”
Brightwells rent the site from Powys County Council and have a seven-year lease which was agreed two years ago but can be broken.
The market has been running on the site since the 1930s and sells over 120,000 sheep a year. It has about 300 regular clients from a 20 -mile radius. As well weekly Friday markets, it also runs five breed society sales a year which bring in people from all over Wales and the borders.
Powys county councillor for Builth Wells, Councillor Avril York, said she was excited that the project was moving on but she was also mindful of the fact that there may be losers in the process.
But she said she was fearful that if the new health and social care service did not go on the livestock market site, Builth Wells might lose it altogether with Knighton and Llanidloes also keen to secure the future of their health services.
“The people of Builth Wells want to move the project on so I think the feeling will be that the livestock market is the right place,” she said. “It’s unfortunate that it’s the market site because it has implications for the livestock market.
“But I am sure the farmers, whilst unhappy at the loss of the current market, will understand the dilemma. I think the answer is to work with the farmers and auctioneers to try and find a new site, I think that would be the best option for the majority.”
Councillor York said the livestock market site was flat, accessible for the elderly and young, easy for people to access whether they were arriving by car, bus or train, was out of the floodplain – a vital consideration in Builth Wells – and had enough room for parking.
“It’s such an exciting opportunity and it would be amazing if Builth could grasp it. If Builth dithers Builth will lose it because there are others wishing to pick it up,” she warned.
But Llanafanfawr county councillor David Price urged the project board to look for alternative sites.
“The new hospital project is one the community has fought long and hard for and the project we all want to come to fruition,” he said, “but the news that the market has emerged as the favoured site will come as a shock to the farming fraternity. We have already lost our slaughterhouses and the impact of soaring fuel prices on transport costs makes local markets a vital part of the rural economy.
“I am pleased that the county council’s board recognised the need to consult with the farming community, but the prospect of relocating the market is fraught with difficulties and unlikely to materialise.
“We must look again at alternative sites for the hospital. Builth deserves to have a new hospital and retain its market – we should not have to choose one over the other.”
