PLANS for Epping’s $300 million wholesale markets will be unveiled soon, as the first stage of the much-lauded relocation nears completion.

But some trader groups have already expressed concerns following their first look last week at preliminary layout designs for the proposed market.

Project director Richard Brookie, from the Department of Primary Industries, told Star the designs were being presented to the market community as part of an extensive consultation process.

“The pace of the Melbourne Market relocation project is set to quicken with the development of a preliminary design layout nearing completion,” Mr Brookie said. The redevelopment, from Footscray to Cooper St in Epping, is one of Victoria’s largest infrastructure projects with the State Government giving about $300 million to the project.

The markets score an annual turnover of more than $1.5 billion – the move north is expected to cost about $1 billion.

Building will begin in early 2008 with the relocation expected by 2010.

As the market develops over the next decade, the precinct will not only include the core market trading facility, but warehousing, distribution centres and other on-site private and public businesses.

Mr Brookie said the market design focused on a functional layout to give an efficient and safe environment for traders to conduct their business.

That included more access points on to the trading floor, improved parking facilities, undercover loading bays, wider walkways, separation of people and vehicles – a key Occupational Health and Safety requirement – and larger stores.

Even so, traders have taken early issue with parts of the plan.

Luis Gazzola, president of the Vegetable Growers Association of Victoria, said traders were concerned the design didn’t suit their needs.

“As the plans are, the market won’t work for us, and it’s got to work for us, we’re the ones operating there 12 months of the year,” Mr Gazzola told Star.

“We’re happy because we’re being consulted, but the unfortunate thing is that the people doing this are all engineers and experts in their fields but they’re not market people, they don’t operate the market.

“They really don’t know how it works, that’s the problem.”

Mr Gazzola said the focus on Occupational Health and Safety rules and regulations had overlooked good operational planning.

“There is a business that we’ve got to run and it’s got to be done properly in a way that suits us all,” he said.

Mr Brookie said the design and consultation process was on-going.

He added that the government and the Melbourne Market Authority was working with the traders to ensure they will be in a position to take advantage of the benefits and opportunities at the new market.