A Blueprint for Bolton: Council unveils £1Bn town centre masterplan

Bolton Council has unveiled a brand new £1Bn blueprint which will see its town centre transformed over a period of decades.

The proposed measures underpin a newly published masterplan – courtesy of Bolton Council – which looks to deliver 1,800 new homes and 7,400 new jobs, stimulating economic growth worth an estimated £412M across five strategic sites.

The sites in question – Trinity Quarter, Cheadle Square, Crompton Place, Church Wharf and Croal Valley – will each benefit from the landmark investment, with Grade A office accommodation, retail space and residential developments of all shapes and sizes in the works.

Here, Bolton Council hopes to revitalize its town centre and attract more families, young professionals, older people and students into the area.

“This masterplan shows how forward thinking and ambitious this council really is,” said Councillor Cliff Morris, Leader of Bolton Council. “We now want to get to work as quickly as possible. We are already speaking to a number of developers and partners about delivering the different schemes outlined in the framework.

“Although it is ambitious we are confident that this is an achievable vision that identifies key areas of the town centre, and it will be a game-changer in terms of transforming the centre of Bolton.”

An initial outline was announced in July, with the local authority securing £100M of financial backing in the months following. That amount will enable a raft of preparatory works including site assembly, public realm improvements and accompanying infrastructure. It is thought that the remainder of the redevelopment will likely be funded by private sector investors.

“It is no secret that town centres across the country continue to face tough challenges,” continued Councillor Morris. “We are also realistic that the plan may need to change and adapt over the years to reflect changing economic conditions.

“What we do know is that without the council’s direct intervention, there is a risk that the necessary pace and scale of change that is required will simply not be achieved. This is not simply looking at one or two compact areas in isolation – it is joined up, strategic planning to transform the town centre for decades to come.”

According to Bolton Council, the first stage of site clearance could start as early as spring 2018.

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