THE Bridge Street redevelopment scheme, including a new cinema and market hall, was passed unanimously by planning chiefs last night.

Proposals to demolish the current market and replace it with a new hall, a 2,500-seat Cineworld Superscreen and new offices for Warrington Borough Council came before the development management committee in a meeting at the Gateway on Sankey Street last night.

Councillors gave the plans a unanimous thumbs up.

The scheme will also feature a new public square, which has been touted to host outdoor markets, ice rinks at Christmas and also concerts, plus six or seven restaurants.

Plans for the temporary market and a new multi-storey car park had already been approved – with a contractor for the car park set to be appointed in the coming week.

Work on the temporary market is already ongoing and once completed the rest of the scheme will begin with a phased built – overall completion is pencilled in for 2016.

More than 2,000 people are expected to be employed on the site, which will be open for business as late as 2am, including around 1,400 in the council offices.

Crown Chambers on Academy Way and two listed buildings on Bridge Street will also be bulldozed to make way for the scheme.

However, the listed part of the Howard Building, more commonly known as the former Boots building, only refers to the façade which will be retained while the adjoining building’s listing refers to the premises that it replaced.