Sod turned for new $388M Buxton Market

The Government on Wednesday signalled the construction of a new $388.1 million Buxton Market, with Local Government and Regional Development Minister Priya Manickchand saying the project will provide vendors and residents with a modern facility after decades of deterioration.
Manickchand turned the sod for the two-storey market, which is expected to be completed within eight months and will replace the existing structure that she said had not been properly operational for more than 30 years.
She said the decision to host the sod-turning ceremony inside the current market was deliberate, as it allowed officials and residents to see the conditions vendors currently operate under.

“This is the market. Why should we go and hold it on a tarmac where it smells nice and it looks different and we don’t see what it is the three vendors have to use?” Manickchand said.
The Minister said she first visited the facility in September 2025 and observed vendors operating outside the market while trying to earn a living and support their families.
She said the new facility is part of the Government’s wider effort to improve communities by ensuring residents have access to better services and infrastructure.
“Community by community, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, NDC by NDC, we’re trying to build out a place where all your services are excellent and accessible,” she said.
The new market will accommodate 136 stalls, compared to the current situation where three vendors operate inside the existing building and 19 roadside vendors conduct business outside. Seven to nine additional persons have also submitted applications for vending spaces.
The facility will include dedicated sections for meat and fish, fresh produce, retail shops, salons, barber services and other small businesses. It will also feature modern sanitation facilities, CCTV security, organised vendor allocation, an integrated waste management system and improved drainage.
Manickchand said the project was developed after consultations with vendors, the Buxton/Foulis Neighbourhood Democratic Council and other stakeholders to determine the type of spaces required.
She explained that the contract was awarded through a competitive public procurement process, with construction being undertaken by R&P Engineering and General Construction.
The project was designed by Skylines Architecture Inc. and carries a contract value of $388,147,745.
Manickchand urged residents to monitor the progress of the works, noting that the contractor is expected to complete construction within the agreed eight-month period.
Regional Chairman Clemsford Belgrave said the project is an important step in advancing Buxton’s economic development, while Buxton/Foulis NDC Chairman said the council remains committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure the market is successfully completed.
The ceremony was attended by Government officials, regional representatives, contractors, vendors and residents.