Bolton council has set out draft plans to develop three areas currently designated as green belt, identifying land for up to 14,052 new homes and a minimum of 135,099 sq m of industrial space to be built before 2042.
Largest site: Health Innovation Bolton
Health Innovation Bolton (HIB) is the largest site earmarked to be removed from the green belt. The area, between Royal Bolton Hospital and the M61, would accommodate 1,895 homes and 40,839 sq ft of employment space.
A second green belt area in the draft plans is the Blackrod employment cluster, green land near the village's railway station, allocated for 44,800 sq m of employment space. The third is an extension to the Logistics North industrial park, off the M61 near Over Hulton, which would hold between 30,000 and 80,000 sq m of employment space and possibly some housing.
Mixed-use sites and housing need
A council cabinet report states there are 'two mixed use sites' in the plan. It said: "Health Innovation Bolton is a health innovation district combining housing with employment located with the hospital and the University of Greater Manchester medical school, creating high-quality jobs across healthcare, education, research, innovation, manufacturing and supporting sectors and the Logistics North extension floorspace is expressed as a range because it may include an element of housing to the west, reflecting its position between Logistics North and neighbouring residential areas."
The report identifies a need for 14,052 housing units during the plan period. Sites with existing planning permission account for 4,976 of those. Additional strategic and 'key housing allocations' provide another 5,715 homes: Crompton Place (340), Health Innovation Bolton (1,895), Anchor Lane, Farnworth (460), Lee Hall (1,450), Ditchers Farm, Westhoughton (570) and Burnden Way, Middlebrook (1,000).
The remainder of the target would be met by strategic housing and employment land availability assessment sites (1,741) and windfall sites (1,600).
Brownfield priority and green belt boundary
The report's section titled 'Brownfield Prioritisation and Green Belt' says: "Brownfield regeneration remains the priority and the first source of supply, and regenerating the town centre in particular is the starting point for the plan."
It adds: "Crompton Place is allocated because of its prominent location and should not be read as the only site that will come forward. The green belt boundary was established by Places for Everyone. This plan alters it only in exceptional circumstances, to meet identified development needs that cannot be met elsewhere. All available sources of supply have been assessed, and the needs cannot be met on brownfield or other non-green belt land within the borough."
Next steps and consultation
If the cabinet approves the proposals at its meeting on Monday, September 28, the draft local plan will go out for public consultation. Representations and assessment will then be reported to council in December, when approval to submit the plan will be sought.
An inspector appointed by the Secretary of State from the Planning Inspectorate will test the plan's legal compliance and soundness at public hearings, expected during 2027. The council said that timetable depends on the Planning Inspectorate's capacity, with many authorities, including several Greater Manchester districts, expected to submit in December.
Earlier this month, an agreement was signed by partners aiming to bring forward Health Innovation Bolton. The agreement, between organisations including Bolton council, Peel Land and the hospital trust, involves a capital investment of £520M. The group said a public consultation on the scheme will take place in 2027 ahead of any planning application.
