Virus crisis puts new plans on hold
PLANS to transform Bolton town centre have been put on hold due to the coronavirus crisis.
A decision over the future of Crompton Place shopping centre and Victoria Square is set to be postponed due to lockdown measures preventing public meetings.
Council leader David Greenhalgh said it would be ‘inconceivable’ for major decisions regarding regeneration of the town to be made at this time.
He said: “Bolton council will ensure that no major planning decisions are made without the appropriate level of democratic involvement and scrutiny and planning officers will continue to do their best to progress planning applications as efficiently as possible.
“Anyone objecting to planning applications will be given the same opportunity to submit objections as previously and these will be taken fully into account, just as they would have been before the current pandemic”.
Property developers BCEGI and Midia are behind the plans to rebuild Crompton Place shopping centre which were revealed earlier this year.
The major development includes new retail and dining space, pedestrian streets and public realm land in front of the town hall.
There would also be new office space, high-quality homes and a hotel at the Victoria Square site, if the plans go ahead.
Town hall planners are due to consider representations about this proposal which have been made to the council by the end of this week.
The planning committee was expected to meet later this month to vote on whether to approve the application.