£1bn blueprint to transform Bolton

Building Design Partnership has unveiled a £1bn blueprint to shape and transform the future of Bolton town centre up to 2030.

The masterplan for the council contains proposals to redevelop the town centre by creating 1,800 new homes, 7,400 new jobs and generating economic activity worth an additional £412m over five strategic sites.

Bolton Council announced initial details of the plan in July and the authority has since approved borrowing £100m to kick-start the project. The remainder of the plan will be funded by private sector investors.

The cash pot will be used for a range of priorities including site assembly; getting sites ‘development ready’; public realm, and infrastructure.

It is hoped that work on the first phase of site clearance could start as early as spring 2018.

BDP has identified several key development areas in the town including the Trinity Quarter, Cheadle Square, Crompton Place, Church Wharf and Croal Valley.

Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Cliff Morris, said: “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.”

Key development zones

Trinity Quarter plan, integrating existing buildings with new mixed used developments

• Trinity Quarter – creating a mixed Grade A office and residential development. A new hotel, office block and a multi-storey car park could be built at ‘Trinity Gateway’. The council is already in talks with NCP about the car park. A new pedestrian route through Trinity Quarter is also proposed, anchored by open space via four interlinked squares.

• Cheadle Square – developing housing and apartments on the former bus station site. On Queen Street creating student housing and a mixed used development to complement cultural venues such as the Octagon, Museum and Library, and establishing a pedestrian route between the Town Hall and Le Mans Crescent with Queens Park.

Proposed transformation of Crompton Place’s facade, fronting onto Victoria Square Bolton

• Crompton Place – the framework envisages transforming the empty BHS store with an upper floor food court overlooking Victoria Square, exploring the possibility to expand Primark and creating a new pedestrian access between Bradshawgate and Hotel Street.
• Church Wharf – Church Wharf would be designated a new town centre ‘quarter’ with a mix of apartments and town houses, as well as a new pedestrian route along the River Croal.
• Croal Valley/Central Street – opening up the River Croal with an improved environment to make it a town centre feature – proposals include building houses and flats which would overlook the improved river frontage. A series of ‘pocket parks’ are proposed along the river.