Plans to carry out essential refurbishments to the grade II listed Market Hall in Burslem have been approved.

The plan, proposed by Stoke-on-Trent City Council, includes the replacement of roof coverings, new rainwater goods, installation of new maintenance access walkways and repairs to the external brickwork of Burslem Market Hall, on Queen Street. 

Planners at Stoke-on-Trent City Council have now approved the application.

The planning officer's report said: "The application illustrates that the proposed works comprise of replacement roof coverings, new rainwater goods, installation of a new maintenance access walkway and repairs to the existing external brickwork.

"The planning statement identifies that these works are essential to safeguard the structural integrity of the site and prevent further deterioration by ensuring it is weathertight and within a maintainable condition."

The report also explained that the applicant worked with the council's heritage officer on the application.

The approved plans aim to preserve and protect the former market hall on Queen Street (image via Nub News)

The work aims to preserve and protect the former public market hall, apartments, and ground floor retail units. 

The Market Hall, which is located in the Burslem Conservation Area, was opened in 1879 and closed in 2003 after the condition was judged unsafe, it was then given a Grade II Listing in 2022.

The design and access heritage statement, submitted as part of the application, said: "Burslem Market Hall is of high local and regional significance, and national interest, as an important surviving example of late-Victorian civic architecture that embodies the former prosperity, craftsmanship, and civic pride of Burslem. 

"Communally, the Market Hall has long served as a focal point for local trade, exchange, and community gathering, embodying Burslem's civic identity and continuity as the 'Mother Town of the Potteries'. 

"Its continued presence reinforces the area's historic townscape and provides a tangible link between Burslem's industrial heritage and its living community fabric." 

To view the full planning application visit the Stoke-on-Trent City Council website here.