Spades in the ground at 208-home Bolton scheme  

Developer Step Places and social housing provider Bolton at Home have begun work to redevelop the former Moor Lane bus station. 

The 208-home development will comprise a mix of apartments and townhouses. 126 homes will be available for private rent or sale and 82 affordable properties will be available for rent, rent to buy and shared ownership. 

The three-storey townhouses featured in the development “differentiate” the project from other town centre developments, according to Step Places managing director Harry Dhaliwal. 

“Our scheme has been carefully embedded into the wider town centre masterplan and will drive wider benefits for the residents and businesses of Bolton,” Dhaliwal, added.  

Designed by Aew Architects, Step Places and Bolton at Home’s project would mainly be delivered on the site of the former bus station as well as two smaller plots on the other side of Black Horse Street either side of the job centre. 

Bolton Council’s planning committee approved the 4.5-acre project in November.

The scheme features several three-storey townhouses. Credit: Aew Architects

Cllr Martyn Cox, leader of Bolton Council said: “These exciting plans for a major town centre brownfield site are starting to be built following extensive consultation with local residents. The Moor Lane development will bring much needed new high-quality homes, green spaces and public spaces to Bolton.  

“The benefits this development brings to our town are great, both to boost our local economy and create a new neighbourhood in the heart of Bolton.” 

AEW’s designs include public realm with cycle paths and enhanced pedestrian routes. There would also be three commercial units, located at the corner of Cheadle Square and Queen’s Street, as well as at the corner of Ashburner Street and Queen’s Street.  

The project team features Euan Kellie Property Solutions as the planning consultant, Renaissance as structural engineer, and Ridge, which is providing project management, cost consultancy and building services support. LK Group is in charge of the site investigation.

Jon Lord, chief executive of Bolton at Home said: “Securing planning permission for the development and moving straight on to delivery is testament to the drive and ambition that Bolton at Home and Step Places have for creating a new benchmark in living standards with our joint philosophy securely planted in protecting and enhancing the environment.  

“This new development, right in the heart of Bolton Town Centre is a real opportunity to regenerate and rejuvenate this key strategic location to create a new mixed tenure sustainable neighbourhood that we can all be proud of. Investing in new development opportunities strengthens our business and allows us to invest more in our existing stock as well.” 

Bolton background

Elsewhere in Bolton, Placefirst is delivering 150 homes on Central Street, while the council is looking for new partners to deliver a raft of other town centre schemes. 

Subplot reported in August that Bolton Council was looking to end its arrangement with Bolton Regeneration, a joint venture between BCEGI and Granite Turner. 

The JV was meant to deliver the mixed-use Crompton Place Shopping Centre revamp, bringing in a hotel, 150 homes and 113,000 sq ft of office space. 

The redevelopment of Crompton Place is on hold. Credit: via planning documents

According to Deloitte’s Bolton Town Centre: Investor Prospectus report from June 2020, the gross development value for Crompton Place is £175m. 

Granite Turner, formerly known as Midia, had also secured contracts on its own to develop the council’s £40m Trinity Gateway project, which would have a 20-storey tower with 144 apartments and a six-storey building with 41,000 sq ft of office space. 

Granite Turner was also to deliver the £33m Le Mans Crescent, which would convert the courts into a boutique hotel. 

A “mutual agreement” was reached with BCEGI and Granite Turner to surrender their options agreements on the projects, according to the council.