FURTHER expansion plans have been put forward to develop Bury's Millgate shopping centre. Developers are seeking full planning permission to create four additional shop units, after demolishing a Methodist Church and the rear portion of the former Post Office in The Haymarket and Crompton Street area. At the same time, refurbishment work would be carried out on the existing Lions Gardens. This would fill in the frontage along The Haymarket.

The Millgate expansion proposals come just days after Bury announced a June start-up date for the £5 million refurbishment and revamp of Bury Market. The investment will bring a new Fish and Meat Hall, together with better cover for shoppers, new stalls and improvements to the pedestrianised area.

Meanwhile a £360,000 scheme jointly funded by a Heritage Lottery grant, the Pilsworth Environmental Company and Bury Council will see the creation of a new public space centred around Bury Castle. The buried remains are to be unearthed and turned into an eye-catching centrepiece.

Bury Council leader, Cllr Derek Boden said: "These are exciting times for Bury and will benefit the borough as a whole by bringing more people than ever into the locality.

"Much has taken place over the last five years and things are looking even brighter for the future.

"Bury has so much to offer and more and more people are realising that."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.