BOLTON College’s former Manchester Road campus is up for sale.

The site, which was granted outline planning permission for 100 homes and 400 square metres of non-food retail space last November, has been put on the market by PP Bolton LLP, Miller Metcalfe and Jones Lang LaSalle.

The college’s new £70 million site in Deane Road opened in 2010 and the former college buildings were demolished in 2013 to make way for the new development.

Cllr Cliff Morris, leader of Bolton Council, said: “Westbrook Gateway site is one of a number of key regeneration sites in and around the town centre of Bolton. We are delighted to invite partners to deliver the new homes on it.

“Bringing new residential development forward within walking distance of the town centre will help to bolster the businesses there and continue the council’s ambitious programme of regeneration for Bolton.”

Offers are invited on either an unconditional basis, or subject to approval of reserved matters, and should be sent to the office of Jones Lang LaSalle, in Manchester, no later than February 28.

John Fletcher, of Miller Metcalfe Commercial, said: “We are delighted to be involved in the disposal of a key strategic development on the periphery of the town centre.

“It adds to an already growing list of opportunities that are presenting themselves in Bolton as a whole.

“These include the redevelopment of the Market Place shopping centre, the proposed development of Ason’s Solicitors 40,000 sq ft office off St George’s Road, and the bus and train station redevelopment at Great Moor Street.

“We have seen a number of exciting private and public development schemes that are starting to come to fruition in the town centre. This can only be a positive thing and, while it is early days, it will hopefully have a positive impact on the town.”

It is hoped the Westbrook Gateway will bring more people into Bolton town centre.

FROM TECHNICAL SCHOOL TO BOLTON COLLEGE

  • In 1884 a report from the Royal Commission first said there was a need for a technical school in Bolton if it was to compete with the Continent and the Americas.
  • It was decided in 1887 that the town would commemorate Queen Victoria’s Jubilee by raising funds for a Technical School.
  • The Bridgeman Place Technical School for Engineering and Textile Subjects first opened its doors in 1895.
  • By 1898 there were 564 students studying at the college and in 1901 £75,000 was spent buying a site for expansion in Spa Road.
  • The scheme was postponed by the outbreak of World War One and the site in Manchester Road was bought in 1931.
  • In 1934 the first full-time principal, Mr J W Simpkin was appointed and building work start in 1937.
  • During World War Two servicemen and women from across the country came to study at Bolton Technical College.
  • In 1963, the college split to become Bolton Technical College and the Bolton Institute of Technology (now the University of Bolton).
  • All further education colleges in Bolton, with the exception of the Bolton Institute of Technology, merged in 1982 and the Manchester Road college became the Bolton Metropolitan College.
  • In 1990, the Community Education Service is formed and Bolton Metropolitan College’s primary focus became vocational education and training.
  • On April 6, 2001, it was renamed Bolton Community College.
  • The government gave the go-ahead for the new building in Deane Road in March, 2009, and work started in October of that year.
  • Bolton Community College was rebranded Bolton College in April, 2010.
  • On September, 6, 2010, the Deane Road campus opened its doors for the first time.