Plans approved for site hoped to house 6,000 jobs

Plans for an estate that it is hoped could be home to more than 6,000 jobs has been approved.

The site, close to the M61 near Bolton, Lancashire, is more than 108 acres (44 hectares) and would be developed by The Harworth Group.

The masterplan was approved by Bolton Council despite objections from some local councillors who said they had "significant concerns".

But cabinet member Nadeem Ayub described the scheme as a "high-quality exemplar employment site".

Ayub said "landscape features and green corridors" would be protected.

Horwich and Blackrod First councillor David Grant told the meeting while it was "good that we are creating jobs", he had concerns about the impact on the road network.

He said he was concerned because motorway roundabouts and the Beehive roundabout were all "at capacity".

"There doesn't seem to have been any offer of improvements to those junctions," he said.

"One minor accident or issue and the entirety of Horwich comes to a standstill."

Bolton Council said it had worked with the developers and various public bodies as part of the consultation, as well as councillors and MPs.

A planning application is expected to be submitted before the end of the year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

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