Bolton gives green light to Watson’s £100m Church Wharf
Plans for 415 homes and a 130-bed hotel in the north east of the town centre can now go ahead.
Watson Homes’s £100m Church Wharf project will see 7.5 acres next to the River Croal off Bank Street, which have been disused for decades, redeveloped across three phases.
The homes will be a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom properties with 82 to be designated as affordable. Meanwhile, the hotel will rise to six storeys and around 15,000 sq ft of commercial space for restaurants, shops, and bars is also planned.
An independent economic assessment forecasts the scheme will support the creation of 1,500 jobs and inject £64m in gross value into the local economy.
The development is supported by £5m from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Brownfield Housing Fund and forms part of Bolton Council’s £1bn regeneration programme.
“Church Wharf is a key development site at a strategic gateway to the town centre, and [planning approval] marks an exciting new phase in our regeneration masterplan,” said Bolton Council Leader Cllr Nick Peel.
“Together with the upcoming demolition of Crompton Place and the recent relocation of Primark, we are now consolidating our retail offer while introducing the right mix of leisure, hospitality and quality residential spaces across our town centre.
“This will also boost market confidence for investment in Bradshawgate, a part of town with enormous potential for regeneration.”
Rob Watson, director at Watson, added: “We’re incredibly proud to be moving forward with Church Wharf, a project that represents a major opportunity for the community of Bolton.
“This development is about creating a new neighbourhood with character and purpose, where people want to live, work, and spend time.”
He added: “Beyond bricks and mortar, this project is an investment in long-term value and lasting, positive change. Our mission is to deliver developments with a meaningful legacy, and we’re excited to bring Church Wharf to life.”
Construction is expected to begin in 2025, with phased completion through to 2029.
P4 Planning is advising Watson, and Jmarchitects is leading on design. Others on the team include SCP, Cundall, Civic Heritage, Salford Archaeology, LK Group, Enzygo, and TACE.
To view the application, use the planning reference number 19281/24 on Bolton Council’s planning portal.
It would be good if it goes ahead, but it’s striking how much of the new housing already built around the edges of the town centre – like the old bus station – is surprisingly low density single-family type homes, while most of the retail area in the middle increasingly looks beyond saving. There really needs to be delivery of the more ambitious schemes and not more renders of what might be.
By Bolton's Cool
Great news. Hopefully we’ll see spades in the ground soon.
By Nick