RADCLIFFE market hall could be bulldozed to make way for a brand new community complex with a famous-name restaurant on top.

That is what members of the town's market traders association have been told and they're delighted with the scope and vision of the scheme.

Envisaged is a three-storey building with the entrance facing the River Irwell. The existing basement would remain and, once refurbished, would house the town's museum.

The new market would occupy the ground floor and the building may be open six days a week with sections of the market being screened off when not in use.

Internationally acclaimed architect John Pawson was selected by a panel of councillors, residents, community groups and young people to turn the site into a unique museum/market/community complex for the 21st century. Mrs Hilda Harvey, chairman of Radcliffe Market Traders' Association, said: "Following a meeting with Paul Bradley, who is Mr Pawson's representative, we were very impressed. We had no idea it would be on such a scale and it is very exciting."

She added: "There is talk of a high quality restaurant being on the top floor, but we are not in a position to name the interested party yet."

Fellow market trader Liz Pinder said: "We appreciate being planned with rather than planned for."

Mrs Harvey said that although the first meeting went well, there were still a lot of questions to be asked, particularly regarding the logistics of how stallholders would continue trading during the development.

Because it could take a year to complete the transformation, some traders are concerned that their businesses will suffer while the work is being done.

But Radcliffe Area Board chairman Coun Barry Briggs said: "The cost of rehousing businesses during building will be included within the planned costs of the building."