A NEW market would "re-vitalise" part of Bradford city centre that is otherwise unlikely to return to its glory days.

A committee made up of Councillors from across West Yorkshire met yesterday to release £3 million of funding for the Darley Street Market project.

The market, which will cost a total of £23.3 million, will be built on the site of the former Marks and Spencer, which will be demolished in the coming weeks.

Once it is open the two markets, one in the Kirkgate Centre and the Oastler Market, will shut.

Oastler Market will then be demolished to make way for a new "city village" of over 1,000 houses.

Although Bradford Council will provide the bulk of the funding for the market, £3 million has been granted to the scheme by the Government through it's Getting Building Fund - a pot of cash to help post pandemic recovery.

Members of West Yorkshire Combined Authority;s Investment Committee discussed the plans yesterday, and agreed to release the £3m funding.

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Members said the pandemic would likely have a major impact on the future of High Streets across the country, and a new market would provide something different for the city.

Rob Tranmer, presenting the plans, said the markets would offer an outdoor trading area and an open plan food court - neither of which is currently available at the two city centre markets.

He told the committee that there would be regular cooking demonstrations at the market.

And he said that as well as creating a modern market, the scheme would regenerate the area, and help to fill empty units on Darley Street and Piccadilly.

Councillor Alex Ross Shaw, Bradford Council's Executive for regeneration, planning and transport, said: "It is a first step in a much bigger ambition for the city centre. It is not just about the markets and needing to reinvigorate them by creating a modern retail offer on a smaller floor space - which is going with the trend of where retail is moving.

"It is about re-shaping the city centre, moving closer to the retail core and taking out old retail space which we know is not going to come back into use. It will also create a town square in the middle of the city centre.

"We have good markets already, but this will be even better."

Leeds Councillor Kim Groves said: "This is really exciting. I went to Birmingham when they re-located the market, and that led to an increase in jobs and an increase in profits for traders.

"It is really exciting to be supporting a scheme like this in this climate."

Calderdale Councillor Jane Scullion said markets had been a lifeline for many during the pandemic who were keen to shop locally.

She added: "Markets have been a life saver for many.

"I am pleased to see this new provision for open markets.

"We know town and city centre High Streets won't be going back to the way they were before the pandemic, we need to re-vitalise them."

The committee voted to approve the £3m funding.