Plans for a more vibrant town centre in Bolton were given a second crushing blow in 24 hours after the council missed out on bids for £40m of levelling up cash. Plans for a £20m investment in three new development projects in Bolton town centre were dashed, after the Government’s Levelling Up Fund failed to approve them.
That scheme was created by Boilton Council and supported by Bolton North MP Mark Logan. A second bid for another £20M to improve the road network around the Middlebrook complex and M61, nominated by Bolton’s other Tory MP Chris Green, also met with failure.
Bolton Council’s Conservative leader Martyn Cox expressed his ‘deep disappointment’ over the decision and said he would make known his disquiet ‘at every level of government’. The announcement came just a day after Marks and Spencer announced they would be closing the Deansgate branch of the store, which has served Boltonians for generations.
READ MORE: Every Greater Manchester project getting Levelling Up cash in round two
On Wednesday evening, the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) confirmed that neither of Bolton’s funding bids were successful. The first of these bids would have funded junction improvement to ease congestion near De Havilland Way while a second would have delivered three town centre projects.
The first scheme would have seen the under-used southern side of Le Mans Crescent converted into a high-end hotel operated by IHG. This would have been complemented by adding conference facilities to the neighbouring Albert Halls.
A further project planned a new layout for Market Place including a public space with the addition of a courtyard under the building’s skylight. The building would have been opened up so pedestrians can walk directly between the existing main entrance and a new entryway on St George’s Road.
Work would have focussed on the former Debenhams unit to create new community, leisure, music, and sport facilities. The council said it will now explore funding opportunities for both highways improvements near Junction 6 and for future town centre regeneration projects.
The council said despite the bad news, the regeneration of the town centre continues to gather momentum including renovation work at both the central library and Bolton Market, which is being backed by the Government’s Town’s Fund. Work is also underway on the Bolton College of Medical Sciences which is being backed by £20m from the first round of the Levelling Up Fund.
Bolton Council Leader, Martyn Cox, said: “Council officers and elected members worked extremely hard on putting these bids together. It is very disappointing that at no stage of the process did we get any feedback or guidance from ministers or staff at the DLUHC.
“Bolton would have benefited from both bids, but the town centre bid in particular would have had a real positive impact for residents, visitors and businesses. Working with our partners Moorgarth, it would have allowed for a significantly remodelled Market Place to ensure vitally needed footfall for Bolton town centre.
“We will be making our deep disappointment known at every level of government.”
Opposition Labour leader, Coun Nick Peel said the whole concept of borough’s competing for levelling up cash was unfair.
He said: “This further throws this so called levelling up agenda into disrepute. It’s not working for the left behind areas like Bolton. Instead of having this competitive process where we are clearly losing out, the government needs to properly fund local authorities and replace the money that we’ve lost over the last 13 years.”
MP Yasmin Qureshi represents Bolton South East, which is the 38th most deprived constituency in the UK. It has a higher unemployment claimant rate than both the regional and national averages, and almost 40 per cent of children live in poverty.
She said that in contrast, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s constituency of Richmond received £19M from the levelling-up fund, despite being the 450th most deprived constituency.
She said that Mr Sunak had come under criticism last year for stating that he ‘managed to start changing the funding formulas to ensure that areas like Tunbridge Wells are getting the funding they deserve’.
Reacting to the news, Ms Qureshi, said: “The outcome of Bolton Council’s levelling-up fund bid is beyond disappointing. I supported the town centre redevelopment plan, which would have given a new lease of life to our local community, attracted new, independent businesses, and given us something to be proud about once again. Sadly, this bid was rejected.
“Our town centre can be a place which thrives once again, but it needs the Government to support it. We need a fairer business tax system which levels the playing field between online and bricks and mortar businesses, better public transport, and real investment.”
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