PROPOSALS for a huge housing and commercial development in the town centre have been expanded. The plans look to completely redevelop the area around the River Croal, Ridgeway Gates and Brook Street to the East, Deansgate and Central Street. The original proposals by the developers, Placefirst, were to build a six-storey block with 145 homes and commercial space in this area, while creating a new public square. Now they have expanded these plans to include 158 homes, ranging in size from studio apartments to three-bedroom townhouses, as well as expanding on the amount of commercial space available. The revised plans have been recommend by Bolton Council, with it going to a vote at the council planning committee on Thursday.
The demolition of the buildings fronting Deansgate will lead to less than substantial harm to the significance of the Deansgate Conservation Area and this harm is considered to be outweighed to the benefits of the scheme to regeneration, to housing supply, to an increased town centre population and by the other benefits of the scheme described within this report. The new documents submitted with the revised plans showed that the applicants met with representatives of the Bolton Methodist Mission, including Reverend Paul Martin, and the Victoria Hall. This was due to the close proximity of the plans to Ridgeway Gates and the Victoria Hall.