Traders fear £12.6m plans to upgrade Cambridge Market Square will result in it shrinking.
Cambridge City Council has proposed installing a canopy over part of the market, providing 27 permanent stalls, as well as resurfacing works and improvements to buildings.
Some market traders voiced concerns this would be lead to a "massive shortfall of space", but the council said the overall size of the market would not be reduced.
Plans include a further 64 "demountable" stalls for weekends and busier months, the authority said.
Photo: Illustration of revamped Cambridge Market Square, credit: Local Democracy Reporting Service
Other proposed changes include improving the Guildhall and the Corn Exchange, as well as using the space for events when the market is not on.
The council said it did not have funding for all of the work and had proposed investing £3m to resurface the market initially.
The plans will be discussed further on Thursday 28 November 2024.