A huge former Morrisons store in Salford could reopen with a new supermarket and gym.
The site is based at 11 Trafford Road on the edge of Ordsall and Salford Quays and is around 50,000 sq ft in size.
The building first opened in 2011 but five years later Morrisons left, leaving it empty for nearly a decade.
New plans submitted to Salford council could see Aldi and PureGym take over sections of the former store to bring it back into use by dividing it into separate units.
A third unit could be made inside the building but the planning reports say no specific shop or business has been identified for this area yet.
The location is close to Ordsall Park and Anchorage tram stop, close to several apartment blocks around the area.
The number of people living in this part of Salford is set to grow, with plans to build new homes around the Quays and Ordsall in future.
Regent Roundabout is also nearby the former Morrisons building, with links to Manchester city centre and further out to the west of Salford on the M602.
As for parking, an existing multi-storey is located next to the building, with 297 spaces.
The planning report states: ‘This is a scheme that seeks to breathe life back into a vacant local centre anchor, delivering clear public benefit with minimal intervention.
‘It represents precisely the kind of sustainable, design-led reuse that the Salford Local Plan and NPPF [national planning laws] seek to promote.
‘The planning balance clearly weighs in favour of the development.
‘The council is therefore respectfully urged to grant planning permission without delay in accordance with the presumption in favour of sustainable development set out in paragraph 11 of the NPPF.’
Salford council has set a target date of September 20 this year to decide the scheme.
