A popular Sunday market is set to become a “flagship” shopping, business and tourist attraction under plans to boost Norfolk's advanced engineering and motorsport industries.

A popular Sunday market is set to become a “flagship” shopping, business and tourist attraction under plans to boost Norfolk's advanced engineering and motorsport industries.

More than a million visitors a year already flock to the weekly market next to the Snetterton racetrack, which celebrates its 25th birthday this year.

But owners of Snetterton Park unveiled ambitious proposals to change the face of the 70-acre site today with a major redevelopment that embraces the district's Rural Enterprise Valley (REV) project.

Cliffsky Ltd, which owns the prime site off the A11, has already submitted an outline planning application to demolish some of the market buildings and the derelict Ships Galley restaurant to create seven new industrial units, four of which would become motor dealerships.

The second phase of the redevelopment is set to be sent to Breckland Council in the next couple of months, which will include the relocation of the Sunday market into a purpose-built undercover facility for its 100 traders.

Trevor Warner, director of Cliffsky Ltd, which owns the market site that includes the “world's greatest” model shop and model car race track, garden centre, and restaurant said the scheme was inspired by Motorsport Vision's proposals to expand the Snetterton circuit. It also links in with a new 54-bedroom motel and restaurant at the site of the Flame Restaurant, which was given the go-ahead last month.

He added that the plans embraced the REV project's philosophy to boost the advanced engineering and motorsport sectors along the A11 corridor by potentially creating further industrial and warehousing buildings at Snetterton Park in five years time.

“We have had 25 years of a Sunday market, but these plans will see a massive flagship redevelopment and complete rebuild, which is very exciting. It will become a tourist attraction in its own right.”

“Twenty years ago the steel shack market stalls were innovative, but people's shopping habits have changed and they don't want to be blown about in the wind and rain. It is not going to be a shopping mall like Chapelfield in Norwich, but it will be a quality environment and undercover open plan market,” he said.

Mr Warner said the cost of the scheme had not yet been finalised, but added that the plans to bring the market site into the 21st century could begin by the end of the year, if approved by Breckland councillors.