Plans to revamp Bury Market and turn it into a “cornerstone” of the town’s “regeneration ambition” have been approved.

An application to demolish existing buildings on Murray Road, 47–51 Market Street and 2 -10 Princess Parade to build a new flexible events hall was lodged by the council.

A new canopy structure would be put in place to cover the existing outdoor market and temporary permission is also sought for a construction compound on the market car park.

The three-storey flexi hall would be in the western part of the site and would contain two floors.

It would be used for conferences, meetings and training, banquets, awards dinners, drinks receptions, small trade exhibitions, public exhibitions, weddings, private parties and Christmas parties.

Other uses for the hall include space for support groups, hobby groups and indoor sports.

The planning application said music concerts, dancing, boxing matches, festivals, pop up trading could also happen at the events hall and that it would house offices for market staff.

The construction of the flexi-hall and associated improvement works at the market were signed off in 2021 after the borough received £20m of government funds as part of its levelling up fund.

Richard Spensley, who works in the council’s major projects department, spoke in favour of the application at the local authority's planning committee on Tuesday night.

He said: “The proposed flexi-hall development at Bury Market is a cornerstone of Bury’s regeneration ambition, which aims to ensure that Bury town centre maintains its status as one of the most economically viable in Greater Manchester.

“The development fully aligns with the Bury town centre masterplan.

“The flexi-hall will enhance, complement and expand Bury’s cultural leisure and hospitality offer including the town’s nighttime economy.

“The public realm improvements will be developed on a land-use footprint which is presently covered by a series of visually unattractive and outmoded buildings.

“These will be removed and replaced by new high quality designed landscape setting.

“This will incorporate a blend of hard and soft landscape features that will create new opportunities such as for pop up stalls, outdoor events and pedestrian seating.”

Mr Spensley added that the development would include sustainable materials, protect traders from heavy rainfall and tree planting would support wildlife.

In the meeting, Cllr Debra Green asked if there would be sufficient disabled parking for the development, which head of development management, David Marno, said can be recommended.

Chair of the committee, Cllr Sean Thorpe, added: “I think that this is a wonderful collaboration.

"I want to pay tribute to all the people that have brought it here, including the market traders - particularly who have been consultees on this - all the officers and all the people that have collaborated with central government who have provided the levelling up funds for this.

“It’s a really great example of how we can start to reinvest prosperity and regeneration into Bury.”

The application was passed unanimously.