Invest in Hadleigh

Vision

The Vision sets out a long-term goal that all future actions and projects will work towards. It involves all levels of local authority, town businesses, organisations, and stakeholders. The Vision will help towns like Hadleigh to achieve their community’s ambitions and forms a unified aim for each town.

See the original Plan on a Page for the Vision of Hadleigh based on consultation with the community, businesses, and stakeholders: Invest in Hadleigh Vision Plan on a page

Following on from previous community engagement work in Hadleigh, Babergh District Council is focused on expanding the Vision programme through the creation of an Invest in Hadleigh group. This group includes representation from the public and private sectors. It aims to work in partnership to:

• recognise development opportunities for the town
• ensure the Vision programme truly reflects the people of Hadleigh and their ambitions
• work collaboratively to deliver shared aims of growth and investment through partnership projects and pilots

Current projects being delivered or in development as part of the Hadleigh Vision include:

• Virtual High Street
• Hadleigh Guildhall Development
• Benton End
• Hadleigh Market
• Innovate Local Market Stall scheme for new businesses
• Hadleigh Employment Site
• Layham Road Sports Ground

Hadleigh Market

Over the last five years, the Hadleigh Market on a Friday morning has grown and continued to thrive, despite changing customer retail habits and the COVID-19 pandemic. The market offers the town and community a unique shopping experience and has benefitted from strong support locally.

During Winter 2021, Babergh District Council carried out a public consultation with Hadleigh residents, market traders, businesses, and visitors. The consultation focused on:

• the impact the market has made over the last five years
• what people would like to see from the market
• the direction the market should take in future

The consultation received 215 responses – with lots of feedback regarding the market’s use, impact, and potential growth.

Read a full summary of the Hadleigh Market consultation responses

Following the consultation, a new contract for 3 years was agreed following tender process to Suffolk Market Events from April 2022. The agreement includes new opportunity for growth including specialist markets through the year, as well as potential pilot events or new sites to test future opportunities to ensure the sustainability of the market.

The consultation also took into consideration the impact of the road closure on the market. This closure was introduced in March 2020, due to social distancing measures, after considering feedback the road closure is now a permanent feature of the market every Friday in the town centre since December 2022, enhancing the market as a place to meet and dwell. Does this bit need updating?