Local Development & Regeneration |  


Bolton Innovation Zone (BIZ)

In November 2007, Bolton Council launched the Development Brief for the Bolton Innovation Zone (BIZ); a 67 hectare mixed-use, leisure and knowledge-led development, which will create more than 4,000 jobs and attract £300m of new private investment to the town over the next ten years. 
BIZ includes 30 hectares of commercial development space which is likely to include a mixture of high quality office space, leisure space, hotels and residential accommodation for students. The core elements of the development include the expansion of Bolton University and the co-location of two major colleges, which represents the North WestÕs largest single planned investment in new further education facilities. 
Finally, BIZ will also include the development of an integrated Cultural Quarter, which will provide contemporary cultural facilities to complement the nationally significant and graceful collection of civic buildings along Le Mans Crescent. 
Bolton Council is currently working to secure a major development partner for the BIZ, with expressions of interest currently being evaluated and a preferred developer or developers will be selected and announced by the end of 2008 or early 2009. 

Church Wharf 
In March 2008, Bolton Council signed a development agreement with a joint venture between leading property developers Ask Developments and Bluemantle to create a 14-acre mixed use scheme in the heart of the town centre. Ask: Bluemantle submitted outline planning in March 2008 and, subject to planning permission, will be developing a £210m mixed-use scheme combining stylish architecture and open spaces.  
The scheme will include a new city-scale office quarter providing over 300,000 sq ft of business accommodation across eight buildings; 700 apartments; a leisure quarter featuring a multi-screen cinema and up to ten cafˇ, bar and restaurant units; a new 120-bed hotel; more than 15,000 sq ft of retail space and a series of new pedestrian routes and public spaces. 

Central Street 
At the planned Central Street development by Wilson Bowden, Tesco has recently confirmed that it hopes to anchor the £110m scheme, which has planning permission for 350,000 sq ft of commercial space including retail, leisure, residential (60 apartments) and an 810-space car park. If Tesco takes up all of the available space, the store would cover 85,820 sq ft on the ground floor and a further 30,100 sq ft on a mezzanine floor. 

MerchantÕs Quarter 
The Charles Topham Group is currently working on the redevelopment of 100,000 sq ft at the MerchantÕs Quarter development. A master plan for the future redevelopment of the entire area will seek to create a commercial urban business quarter in the town centre with potential to attract £200m investment in up to 500,000 sq ft of Grade-A office space. A variety of hotels, restaurants, bars and retail units will both serve those working in MerchantÕs Quarter as well as attracting visitors from other parts of the town centre. Charles Topham Group has already completed No 1 MerchantÕs Place, the conversion of two buildings into 20,000 sq ft of office space and No 2 MerchantÕs Place will provide another 80,000 sq ft of office space by late 2008. 
Tel. 01204 334444 www.businessbolton.org