The team behind the Little Big Markets wants to build a permanent marketplace in the Mount.
The popular markets run once a month but co-founder Rachelle Duffy told the Bay of Plenty Times her long-term goal was to find a permanent and sheltered home so stallholders could sell their goods several times a week, rain or shine.
Mrs Duffy spoke at yesterday's Tauranga City Council meeting in opposition to a proposal to move Gwen Rogers Kindergarten to 410 Maunganui Rd, the site of The Little Big Markets.
She warned councillors "not to underestimate The Little Big Markets" and urged them to consider the stallholders when contemplating future use of the land.
"We have spent thousands marketing this site and I believe it would be irresponsible of you to move us on given that 150 small businesspeople rely on us," she said.
"Ideally, we would like a long-term lease and we have already approached council for this in the past. If we had known there were opportunities for this site we would have jumped to lease it long term."
Ms Duffy said there were plenty of examples of permanent markets in cities around the world.
"We have small business owners that would love to have a more permanent place to sell from and we have a huge pool of customers that I know would like to shop with us more regularly," she said.
The application to expand Gwen Rogers Kindergarten on Macville Park was yesterday withdrawn by the Tauranga Region Kindergarten Association (TRKA) due to the level of opposition from community groups including Omanu School, the Bay of Plenty District Health Board and Mount Maunganui College.
TRKA principal Peter Monteith said traffic issues were the main reason for the withdrawal and asked Tauranga City Council staff to continue to help look for an alternative site.
He suggested there were a number of possible sites, including the former Cossie Club building, which he said could be turned into an "education hub".
- The Little Big Markets have been running since 2009
- About 150 stall holders sell new and pre-loved fashion and vintage wear, hand-crafted jewellery, accessories, art, craft and gourmet food.
- The next market day is on June 7 on the corner of Matai and Maunganui roads from 9am until 2pm.