Bid to list town's 'virtuoso' post-war market hall

Bury Market was closed after crumbling concrete was discovered in the roof

A town's market hall should be protected as an example of "virtuoso" post-war architecture, heritage campaigners have said.

The Twentieth Century Society has applied to place Bury Market on the listed building register over fears it could be demolished.

It is one of five options being considered for the site by Bury Council, which urgently closed the market last year after unsafe was discovered there last year.

Councillor Charlotte Morris said the future of the building, which opened in 1971, had not been decided.

A charity said the "gullwing" roof of the market is worthy of protection

A surveyor's report estimated the refurbishment of Bury Market's roof would cost the council about £6m after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was found there.

Bury Council is considering overhauling the building to extend its life, but also has four other options to create new facilities for stallholders.

A spokesman for the Twentieth Century Society (C20 Society) said the market was a "centrepiece of the post-war redevelopment" when built between 1969 and 1971.

The "gullwing" roof of the building, designed by north-west architectural firm Fairhurst & Son, is described as "remarkable", by the charity.

Bury Council is considering options for the site, including a £6m revamp

The C20 spokesman said listing the building would protect it from demolition and "encourage the council to proceed with a conservation-led refurbishment".

Crumbling concrete could be replaced in a way that preserves the building’s "undoubted architectural interest", he added.

Ms Morris said though she welcomed the charity's interest, listing the hall would "pre-determine the outcome" of cross-party discussions about the market's future.

“We recognise the heritage of the market hall, but the reality is that we have had to close it due urgently to the discovery of RAAC and we now need to consider appropriate options for its future."