Crompton Place, the heart of Bolton’s regeneration journey

Over recent years, the focus of placemaking has shifted from short-term interventions towards a more co-ordinated approach, one that recognises the town centre as a place to live, work and spend time, writes Jon Dyson of Bolton Council.

Crompton Place sits at the heart of that approach in Bolton. Not as a stand-alone development, but as a part of a wider plan to reshape how Bolton’s town centre functions for its residents and how it connects to other regeneration activity.

The decision to bring the 280,000 sq ft site forward for redevelopment began in 2018, when broader ambitions were set out for the town centre as part of its £1.5bn plans: to improve connectivity, create a stronger public realm and support growth in the residential population. Crompton Place’s role is to help stitch together different parts of the town centre, enhance surrounding streets and neighbourhoods, and contribute to a cohesive urban experience that works.

A key milestone in that wider approach has been the appointment of Federated Hermes’s specialist development arm, MEPC, which is the developer behind Manchester’s NOMA and Wellington Place in Leeds. For Bolton, this decision needed to reflect our desire for a complex, mixed-use town centre while respecting ourlong-term priorities. With MEPC on board, the focus can now shift from vision-setting to delivery.

The redevelopment is a priority project under the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Good Growth Fund, and such funding would enhance the scheme’s viability while supporting vital infrastructure and connectivity improvements. This proposed public sector investment would ensure Crompton Place can deliver on Bolton’s wider growth ambitions and create a town centre that is accessible, connected, and resilient.

The project will support a growing town centre population. Credit: Bolton Council

The £250m redevelopment plans for Crompton Place include up to 340 new homes, a 110-room hotel, around 80,000 sq ft of office space, and leisure and ground-floor uses designed to support a vibrant town centre economy. Bolton Council remains closely involved in shaping these outcomes, ensuring that Crompton Place continues to reflect local priorities around housing, public realm, visitor economy, connectivity, and identity.

Beyond housing and workspace, Crompton Place is expected to generate a ripple effect across Bolton’s economy. Leisure and hospitality elements will create jobs, support local businesses, and enhance the visitor offer, encouraging footfall throughout the day and evening. Flexible ground-floor spaces provide opportunities for retail, food and beverage, and cultural activity that responds to changing demand, including businesses that want to grow alongside Bolton.

Crompton Place aligns with Bolton’s ambitions to strengthen its creative and cultural sectors. By offering spaces that can host exhibitions, performances, workshops, or pop-up events, the development helps nurture local talent and community-led initiatives. This focus on culture adds vibrancy to the town centre while reinforcing Bolton’s identity as a distinctive place within Greater Manchester, celebrating our heritage while looking confidently to the future.

The scheme also illustrates the importance of connectivity. Sitting between key parts of the town centre, Crompton Place helps link streets, public spaces, and surrounding neighbourhoods. These improvements ensure the site contributes to a centre that is vibrant, safe, and inclusive for residents and visitors alike.

Residential-led development is central to Crompton Place’s vision. A growing town-centre population helps retain talent, support local businesses, and animate streets throughout the day and evening. Not forgetting the key investment in offices and workspace ensuring there is activity both day and night. All of which will help foster a sense of ownership among residents, that can give town centres a voice of their own, and for us one that is proudly Boltonian.

While Crompton Place is part of the story to redefine the town centre’s future, its key value lies in how it reinforces the vision that this regeneration is Bolton-specific, ambitious, and sustainable. By focusing on identity, continuity, and everyday experience, the scheme signals a new phase in the town’s evolution: a town centre that is lived in, connected, and resilient, reflecting the aspirations of the communities.

• Jon Dyson is Bolton Council’s director of place
• If investors and developers heading to MIPIM want to learn more about how Crompton Place will unlock Bolton’s full potential, visit Invest in Bolton or contact us at [email protected]