Bolton Council has agreed the provisional sale of the Church Wharf development site in Bolton to local developer Watson Homes.
The developer, which intends to build 417 new homes and a 120-bed hotel on the land, will now seek to secure planning permission and funding for the scheme.
To prepare the site, the council acquired a number of properties backing on to Bank Street and Manor Street before carrying out full demolition and enablement works.
Watson Homes was selected from a shortlist of five interested developers who were each assessed on the basis of the deliverability, sustainability and the social value of their proposals.
Akhtar Zaman, deputy leader of Bolton Council, said: “A conditional sale of this type is the best way to ensure work goes ahead promptly, while also ensuring the final scheme delivers on what our town centre needs. Bringing more people to live here will attract more hospitality, leisure and retail businesses into Bolton and create a more vibrant town centre. The inclusion of a hotel will be a boost for local businesses and will also widen the options for those visiting Bolton for our excellent events or outstanding cultural offer.”
Nick Peel, leader of Bolton Council, added: “The direct intervention of the council has transformed a site that was full of derelict and under-used buildings into an attractive investment opportunity with real potential. This is our town centre regeneration masterplan in action, delivering much needed homes on brownfield land while also protecting our Green Belt from future residential development. Together with our recent announcement on Crompton Place, projects of this scale will give confidence to other investors and act as a catalyst for even more regeneration.”
The scheme is being supported by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Brownfield Housing Fund and a draft timeline for the development could see work start in 2025 with final completion in late 2027 or early 2028.
