A £3.8 million revamp of the Oastler Shopping Centre in Bradford has been announced by the Council - and could get the green light next week.

The authority's executive committee will decide whether or not to approve the financial aspect of the plans for the market.

Traders at the centre have welcomed the proposal, claiming it is needed especially given the progress made with the Westfield development at the other end of the city centre.

The plans for the Oastler market involve two phases. The first would see a glazed extension to the market, and Rawson Road and Northgate becoming pedestrianised, to provide a covered outdoor space for markets and events, and an expansion to the centre's food retail offering. In October, a two-day food and drink festival will run on nearby Northgate to mark the renewed focus on food, with the event designed to promote and support the market.

The second phase would involve installing a new floor, new stalls and making changes to the layout to include a hot food court. More fresh food will also be on offer.

Bradford Council's portfolio holder for Education, Skills and Culture, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, said: "This is the next phase in our plans for regenerating Bradford city centre.

"Broadway shopping centre will be opening in November which is great news but we cannot be complacent. We also need to think about how other parts of the city centre connect to the new economic opportunities in our city.

"People love markets. The Oastler Centre brings in around three million people a year and has a particularly good food offering. With the right investment Oastler Centre should flourish and support the growing city centre economy."

The announcement of the redevelopment comes at a time when the streets around the market have seen huge amounts of recent investment. North Parade, with its bars, restaurants and cafes, has become an attractive destination, strengthening the local day-time and night-time economies.

The current market hall, formerly John Street Market, was built in the 1930s and refurbished in 2002.

A Council spokesman said the authority was in talks with an architect to create drawings and plans for the centre. They added that consultation with traders would also come at a later date.

"It is at a very early stage," said the spokesman.

A second, related plan to refurbish the Westgate multi-storey car park on top of the Oastler Centre is also being proposed at a cost of £1.2 million. The last car park refurbishment was carried out 20 years ago.

When news of the proposed Oastler revamp was first mooted in March this year, it quashed controversial earlier proposals to merge it with the Kirkgate Market to create one extra-large market.