A new petrol station and "food-to-go" shops could replace part of a used car dealership in Bury under new plans.

An application has been lodged for permission to demolish a building currently used as a cartime 4x4 showroom on Bell Lane, but the company has confirmed its flagship showroom at the site will remain open. 

The former Jaguar Land Rover site, which is one part of the cartime dealership, could be replaced with a new petrol filling station as well as drive-thru unit and two "food-to-go convenience pods", if plans are approved. 

The business, which was first established in Bury in 2012, is the biggest independent used car dealership in Greater Manchester, with more than 1,000 cars on display.

The new petrol station will feature "modern top-up" retail provision with deliveries of fresh produce such as milk and bread daily.

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The application said: “(This) planning application (is) seeking consent for the demolition of the existing car sales building and the redevelopment of the site of a new petrol filling station (PFS) with associated facilities, alongside a drive thru unit and a detached block of two food-to-go convenience pods.

“The application site if currently occupied by a car showroom and is within a readily accessible and prominent location on the edge of the town centre in Bury.”

Managing director Matt Kay said that the plans affect only one building on the site, which is leased by cartime, and that the store's flagship showroom will remain in place on Bell Lane. 

He said: "We always had plans to vacate this showroom to purchase an additional site as part of our planned expansion throughout the North West.

"The timeframes for the redevelopment are not yet known, however this is in the very early stages and likely to take several years.

"The site will remain fully open and trading as normal for the foreseeable future, with no disruption to business.

"We have plans to purchase a further site in the near future as part of our strategy to become one of the UK’s leading car supermarkets, allowing us to continue to create additional career opportunities within the region and also expand our customer base.

"I would like to reiterate that we do not currently have a date confirmed as to when we will be exiting the site, however once we do this will be to relocate as part of our expansion."

The application comes as permission was granted for a different, former commercial building on Bell Lane was approved for development into apartments last month.

The applicant says it believes the proposal would generate "sustainable economic development and notable additional jobs for local people in times of economic uncertainty".

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The plans added: “In terms of economic and social benefits the proposed development will have a significantly greater impact compared with the existing use of the site."

The proposals, which were submitted for consideration by the council’s planning control committee last week, have now been put forward for public consultation.

The business also has a branch on Edinburgh Way in Rochdale, which opened in 2019.