NOMA developer wins Bolton’s £200m Crompton Place flagship
MEPC, the developer owned by global investor Federated Hermes, has been chosen to transform the site of the former shopping centre in the heart of the town into a mixed-use development, Place North West can reveal.
Best known for office-led projects including the NOMA district in Manchester and Wellington Place in Leeds, MEPC will now turn its attention to the £200m Crompton Place scheme in Bolton, which is envisaged as a residential-led development.
Crompton Place has the capacity to deliver up to 340 homes, a 110-key hotel, 80,000 sq ft of office space, and 5,000 sq ft of ground floor leisure.
The project is one of the highest profile regeneration opportunities in Greater Manchester and has the potential to transform Bolton’s underperforming town centre, according to the council.
Bolton Council bought the 280,000 sq ft shopping centre in 2018 as it looked to put in place a town centre masterplan.
That year, plans for a 110-bed hotel, 50 homes, and 113,000 sq ft of offices were put forward by a joint venture between the council, BCEGI, and Midia – but when it was realised the project did not make fiscal sense it was abandoned and the JV dissolved.
Some eight years later, as work to knock down Crompton Place reaches its conclusion, MEPC’s appointment marks a major milestone in bringing the council’s town centre vision to life.
MEPC was acquired by Federated Hermes, which has more than $870bn of assets under management, in 2020.
Bolton Council refused to confirm MEPC’s appointment.
Leader, Cllr Nick Peel, said: “I am delighted to confirm that the cabinet has approved the appointment of a new developer for the flagship Crompton Place regeneration project.
“This developer has a very impressive track record of delivering major multi-million-pound developments in some of the UK’s biggest cities. The decision comes at the end of a robust and highly competitive selection process.
“We are now subject to an eight-day legal ‘stand still’ period, after which we look forward to sharing more details of the exciting future for Crompton Place.”
MEPC declined to comment.
This would be a great opportunity to make Victoria Square bigger, say to Mawdsley Street and then fill in the remaining site with high quality shops/restaurants and homes.
By GetItBuilt!
From the busy town that Bolton used to be 10 years ago, it’s demise has been rapid and sad to watch. I sincerely hope that a major scheme like this can help Bolton’s attempt to get more people into the town centre, but the ineptitude of those running the towns aspirations doesn’t fill me with much faith, its all money and no thought.
By MB
Stop saying Bolton is tun down it’s a lie.There is no decline of Bolton there is a decline of the town centre which is a different issue and related to bad decisions taken in past .Bolton has lots of desirable areas to live and much nicer than most of Manchester which is why it’s had in recent past a Conservative council and MPs.If Bolton was run down it’s population would not have risen to 304000.This is is a town people are happy to live in entire lives because it’s large amount green spaces and countryside.
By Sara Smith
Excellent news I look forward to seeing the proposals. This could be a real catalyst for regeneration of the town centre.
By MJ
Nothing they do will transform Bolton, they should never have messed with the market hall it’s stalls, a big mistake
By Anonymous
Why more homes and another hotel, there is nothing in Bolton, the nightlife is not up to much, most of the place is closed down or derelict
By Anonymous
Hmm. That seems like a lot of office space that could just stand empty, and not much allocated to leisure. I would love to see some kind of rooftop garden or bar overlooking the town hall, some green space, and to open up a route through to Bradshawgate at the back.
By Helen B
We need a marks and spencers food hall desperately
By Anonymous
Will it still be Crompton Place and will local people be able to rent or buy accommodation
By Anonymous
The development of this site is long overdue. The town centre has been in demise for twenty years, too many people shop online, on retail parks, the Trafford centre or go into the center of Manchester as there are much better shops, pubs, bars and restaurants there. Bolton’s town center is too sprawling and cannot seem to attract the shoppers like it used to. Building homes and having less shops seems the way forward. We have a lot of different cultures in Bolton that like to spend their money in shops that cater for them rather than in the traditional shops. Hopefully this development will work like it is planned.
By Lee
We need more shops not homes
And hotels and places to eat and drink bolton want b the the same with all the homes and stuff in town centre we need to redesign town centre with more
Shops and stuff no need for homes and places to live more shops and restaurants and stuff say no to homes and hotels
By Anthony Oakley
Its a shame that Capital & Centric, as a North West based company weren’t able to do this.
There past work is in keeping with the heritage and the council know them with the work done in Farnworth
By Peter Lever
Let’s hope the Architecture of this development fits in with the Architecture of the Town Hall and its surroundings. No Carbuncle’s. I pay a astronomical amount of money in Community charge to Bolton Council, I want to see value for that money.
By Peter Smith
Where are all these people going to shop in these new homes? No shops open. You want them go to another town to spend money
By Anonymous