Market Towns Initiative

The Market Towns Initiative is an initiative of The Countryside Agency.

MTI Toolkit
This contains practical guidance on how to do a market towns healthcheck and advice about community participation, funding, training, transport and business support. The Toolkit also contains practical guidance for communities to set up local partnerships and create a market town action plan.

The Toolkit is designed to ensure that market towns can become
 * comprehensive local centres which serve people's needs
 * the hub for properly planned transport into surrounding areas
 * places where housing and economic growth can be managed
 * centres for local food processing and the marketing of countryside products
 * places that can capitalise on their character and assets.

Eligibility
Eligible towns are likely to have a population of between 2000 and 20,000 and have a role in supporting their local rural economy and quality of life, as well as being ready to prepare and implement an action plan following the healthcheck.

Related topics

 * Local needs met locally