Bolton’s evolution: From Crompton Place to NorthFold

Strong connections are a speciality in Bolton. Whether that’s through partnership working, unrivalled transport links that place 60% of UK businesses within two hours of the town, or its reputation as the nation’s friendliest town, writes Cllr Nick Peel, Leader of Bolton Council.

As momentum builds behind Bolton’s regeneration masterplan, connections and collaborations with both public and private sector partners have seen the successful delivery of projects including the Bolton Institute of Medical Sciences, The Wellsprings Innovation Hub, and a brand-new Market Food Hall.

Meanwhile, developments at Moor Lane and Deansgate Gardens will provide homes for 5,000 new residents living in well-connected, vibrant urban neighbourhoods and supporting the economy of a reimagined town centre with the right mix of leisure, hospitality, and a consolidated retail offer.

Building on this momentum, Bolton Council will be heading to UKREiiF to showcase two major new developments and will be looking for the right development partners to take the transformation of Bolton to the next level.

Crompton Place: Clearing a path for regeneration

In March this year, the flagship regeneration of Crompton Place, including leisure and hospitality venues, took a major step forward as the detailed demolition plan for the former 1970s shopping centre was unveiled.

Following Bolton Council’s purchase of the site in 2018, and the work supporting tenants to relocate, demolition will mark the final stage in preparing a fully de-risked, development-ready site in the heart of the town centre.

Overall, Crompton Place has the capacity to deliver up to 340 residential units, a 110-key hotel, 80,000 sq ft of office space, and 5,000 sq ft of ground floor commercial leisure space along with a mix of high-quality public spaces.

One of the first benefits that residents will see is the rapid restoration of a direct pedestrian route between Victoria Square and Bradshawgate.

Linking our premier public space with the centre’s busiest street will unlock the massive regeneration potential of this major thoroughfare, providing a catalyst for further investment.

Heading into UKREiiF, Bolton Council is seeking a development partner for Crompton Place, via a master development agreement, with the financial means and relevant experience, skills, and resources to realise the vision for this incredible site.

NorthFold: Connectivity is key

Bolton is well placed to benefit from the exciting opportunities that come with Greater Manchester’s devolution, while retaining strong historic, cultural, and economic ties with Lancashire to the North.

The same can be said of neighbouring Wigan, who, along with Bolton, is the strategic partner in the development of NorthFold.

Previously known as the Wigan-Bolton Growth Corridor, this key growth location is projected to deliver 9,000 new homes, almost 3.7m sq ft of industrial space, and £356.3m of GVA by 2035.

NorthFold’s outstanding existing transport network will be enhanced by infrastructure improvements like the planned East-West Link Road, connecting the M6 and M61, while forging even stronger links between these two proud northern towns.

NorthFold is underpinned by six catalyst projects, a pipeline of delivery designed to build investor confidence and attract further investment.

These include the historic Haigh Hall, community, leisure and international sporting facilities at Hulton Park, a hub for health and food innovation, Wigan town centre and Bolton town centre.

NorthFold will have its official UK launch at UKREiiF 2025.

Bolton is better connected

The idea that Bolton is “better connected” is a key theme of the new Place Brand, which launched earlier this year. The brand promotes the best of Bolton to a global audience and fits alongside a raft of new policies designed to enhance and support our regeneration work.

It complements our new Visitor Economy Strategy, Cultural Strategy, Economic Growth and Resilience Plan and policies to improve transport, lighting and wayfinding.

Regeneration is not just about building new things but also creating a renewed sense of pride and fostering a sense of connection between people and place.

Connect at UKREiiF

Bolton Council will have a delegation at UKREiiF this year, and would be delighted to discuss Crompton Place, NorthFold and all the exciting opportunities across the borough.

Join the team at the Seddon stand in the Royal Armouries Hall on Wednesday May 21 at 11am for a seminar on Crompton Place, and at the Harworth Regeneration Pavilion at 9am the following day for a NorthFold panel discussion.

Or simply get in touch about arranging a meeting.

• Cllr Nick Peel is Leader of Bolton City Council
• Bolton Council’s economic development and regeneration team can be contacted at InvestinBolton@bolton.gov.uk
• More information is available at investinbolton.com and northfold.co.uk