MP DAVID Chaytor is seeking a meeting with Westfield bosses over their £150 million redevelopment plans for Bury town centre.

And the Bury North MP feels that a definitive case to move the market, an important element of the plans, has not been made.

He said: "Although I welcome the detailed improvements to the revised scheme, I am anxious that Westfield takes seriously the genuine fears of market traders and many of their customers.

"Westfield's revised proposals have introduced many improvements but I am still concerned that the definitive case has not yet been made to support the move of the market from its existing location".

Mr Chaytor acknowledges that the vast majority of people will welcome the overall proposals for the redevelopment which also embraces more than 60 new shops, a new transport interchange, a 800-seat food court and 1,000 additional car parking spaces. But the MP stressed: "The interests of Bury's historic market must also be protected. Bury Market is currently located in a site which most traders and visitors feel to be well-known and recognisable.

"A new location could affect public awareness of the market. Trade may also be affected by the new location of the market being situated further away from car parking space".

He has written to Westfield's chief executive asking for a meeting with senior staff behind the Bury redevelopment.

Mr Chaytor continued: "I want to meet them face to face in order to ensure they do take this seriously.

"It would be ironic that if the market was to suffer from the proposed relocation, then one of the town centre's major strengths would have been damaged, and the objectives of the 'Bury but Better' strategy to reinforce Bury as a market town, as well as making the most of Bury's heritage, would have failed."