Bolton turns to MEPC for £200m town centre reset

The developer, now owned by international funding supervisor Federated Hermes, beat City Splash to take management of the stalled scheme, which can see the 280,000 sq ft centre demolished and changed with a residential-led mixed-use growth.

The overhaul is aimed toward resetting the historic coronary heart of Bolton city centre, with new properties, reworked public areas and a restored pedestrian route linking Victoria Sq. with Bradshawgate.

Crompton Place, which initially opened as an Arndale Centre in 1971, sits on the centre of the council’s long-running regeneration ambitions and has been earmarked for demolition since its buy by Bolton Council in 2018 for £14.8m from Santander Pension Fund.

Earlier plans had been being superior by Bolton Regeneration, a three way partnership involving Beijing Development & Engineering Group Worldwide and regeneration specialist Midia Group.

That partnership secured planning permission to transform the centre right into a 110-bed lodge, 150 properties and 113,000 sq ft of places of work, however the scheme stalled in 2020 and the JV was dissolved.

Demolition has solely now change into doable after a number of years of labor to relocate remaining tenants elsewhere within the city centre.

Buildings to be demolished

The centre closed its doorways for the ultimate time in Could 2025, with demolition anticipated to begin in early 2026.

The council has beforehand mentioned the demolition will likely be carried out in a single part, taking round 50 weeks to finish.

MEPC brings a observe file of main city-centre regeneration schemes, together with NOMA, an £800m mixed-use neighbourhood close to Manchester Victoria, and Wellington Place in Leeds, which mixes places of work with outlets, eating places and public realm.