PLAYING fields in the centre of a Radcliffe estate are set to undergo a £215,000 transformation.

Former sports pitches at Red Bank Playing Fields, in Unsworth Street, will be upgraded and brought back into use for sport and physical activity. The soil will be upgraded and a drainage system put in place to improve the three pitches.

The small pavilion used by Allens Green Bowling Club, which is based on the fields, will be replaced with a £75,000 building containing a community room and toilet facilities.

The plans will also see the installation of low fencing around the field and two entrance gates for vehicles using the site.

Work is expected to start in October and could take up to two years to complete.

The whole project will cost £215,000, with the vast majority of the cash - £200,000 - coming from Radcliffe-based company Expert Logistics.

The firm applied to Bury Council earlier this year for planning permission to convert a former cricket pitch into a 207-space car park at its site in Bury Road, which would allow the firm to take on around 100 new employees.

The planning department was originally going to reject the application, but decided to support it after discussions with Sport England - providing the owners pay for replacement playing facilities elsewhere.

The council's planning control committee approved the proposals at their meeting last week, and the money will be used for the work at Red Bank Playing Fields.

Stewart Kellett, regional director of Sport England, said; "We are delighted to have worked with Bury Council and Expert Logistics on this planning application to achieve such a positive outcome for community sport in Radcliffe.

"This significant investment at Red Bank will enable lots more people to get involved in sport and physical activity, and we welcome the commitment of the council and Expert Logistics to providing these opportunities."

Councillor Dorothy Gunther, executive member for environment and transport, said: "Bury very much welcomes the extra jobs and developments proposed by Expert Logistics and Iceland.

"By working with the developer and Sport England, a creative solution has been achieved which not only recognises the council's strong planning policies of protecting recreational facilities, but also supports the needs of the developer and the creation of many new jobs for our town."