Bolton rejigs funding for Farnworth

The public realm element of the district centre’s redevelopment has been adapted by a council seeking to address a financial shortfall.

The overhaul of Farnworth town centre has three main elements: the refurbishment of Farnworth Leisure Centre by Seddon, the £50m redevelopment of the Market Precinct by Capital&Centric, and the part the council is delivering: the Streets for All scheme, addressing Market Street between Fredrick Street and King Street.

Seddon started on site at the leisure centre in August 2022 and is on programme to complete the job in May. Demolition works began for the C&C project in November, with the main construction phase expected to start soon, completing in autumn 2024.

Independent of those projects, a total of £2.8m had been allocated to the Streets for All phase one scheme, including £990,000 from Bolton’s District Centres Fund and £1.8m from Bolton’s £13m Future High Streets Fund allocation.

However, as detailed designs took shape, the estimated cost of the public realm scheme ballooned to £5.4m, attributed to factors including material cost inflation, and elements being added to the scheme including bus shelters, crossings and updated paving material specifications.

This figure was reported to the project team in October 2022, leading to a decision to value-engineer the scheme, while maintaining its integrity enough so as not to lose out on FHSF support.

By taking measures such as removing rain gardens, reducing the number of new trees by 50%, removing a crossing and using different paving and bollards, the projected cost has come down to £3.5m.

It has now been confirmed that Transport for Greater Manchester can contribute £500,000, and up to £400,000 can be provided in additional support from the District Centres Fund, allowing the project to go ahead before the FHSF deadline in spring 2024.

In addition, the project team, which includes highway consultant Mott MacDonald, has successfully applied to United Utilities’ Green Recovery Fund, securing £500,000 that will allow rain gardens to be introduced to the scheme after all.

Bolton’s executive cabinet member for regeneration yesterday signed off on the additional support from the District Centres Fund.

Streets for All as an over-arching policy is part of the Greater Manchester transport strategy to 2040, as the combined authority seeks to address congestion and climate change and provide better environments for walking, cycling and public transport.

BDP is the architect for the C&C project, which is to be known as Farnworth Green. The £50m scheme will involve 85 apartments and 12 family homes off King Street, with 20,000 sq ft of commercial space, a community hub, a public square, events pavilion and linear park.

K2 Architects designed the Seddon scheme, which involves expanding the Farnworth Leisure Centre to offer residents a larger fitness studio and dance studio.