BOLTON’S Civic Trust has presented an alternative vision for the future development of a key town centre space.

The trust has spent the past few months formulating a response to Bolton Council’s outline designs for the Moor Lane and Cheadle Square area of the town centre, which the authority published at the end of 2015.

That £50 million vision is based on a partnership between the council and the University of Bolton and preliminary designs showed plans for accommodation for 700 students on the existing Moor Lane bus station and in other areas to the rear of Le Mans Crescent and Blackhorse Street.

There is also a proposed plan for an area of tree-lined public space on land in Cheadle Square, behind Le Mans Crescent.

While the council’s recent proposals received a warmer welcome in some quarters than a its previous plan to build on land directly behind Le Mans Crescent and potentially block a view through the famous arches — the civic trust still argues the current scheme is “not fit for purpose”.

The trust has instead proposed its own vision for the crucial town centre space — which focuses on principles including public open green space, public activity space, balanced vistas, sustainability and respect for civic buildings.

With the council currently overseeing the detailed design brief for its proposed development — trust members want to promote debate on the issue and will hold a public meeting on Thursday in the Bolton Library lecture theatre from 7.15pm.

Speaking about the trust’s ideas, chairman Richard Shirres who has been working on the plans with colleague and architect Mark Head, said: “Fundamentally, this is about the question of holistic public space planning and sustainable management.

“The trust supports the logic of building upon shared interests between the University and the Borough of Bolton.

“But we think any consequent physical development from that initiative should address the needs of strategic regeneration for the town centre, enhance green space and respect the conservation area of Le Mans Crescent.”

The trust has a number of concerns with the council and university’s latest plans including what it describes as the “massing of buildings”, a failure to compliment and “capitalise on the historic Le Mans Crescent” and an “apparent disregard for shading from building location and orientation”.

Mr Shirres said: “The images we saw in December show a long expansive boulevard directed towards the crescent, culminating in a broad, largely featureless piazza, all potentially windswept.

“A key view, looking westwards from the crescent, would be of a monolithic building mass.”

Another key aspect for the trust is to adapt any potential development for the threat of climate change and thus include low-carbon buildings and infrastructure.

It believes green infrastructure is one way to do that — with ‘green’ building designs believed to raise property values and attract new business and retail investment.

The Civic Trust vision identifies enhanced parkland as part of the plans as well as a possible heritage and technical innovation centre within the development.

The proposed designs published today include areas of parkland around Cheadle Square, a processional tree-lined walk and a green seating area next to a possible ‘Cheadle Square Arena’ which could be used for cultural events.

There is also a proposed hub to link the various spaces around the development — which the trust would like to see marked with a statue of Bolton benefactor Lord Leverhulme.

Mr Shirres concluded: “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for regeneration and to transform the fortunes of Bolton town centre, to draw people and businesses into the town, lifting Bolton above other towns and cities in the North West, whilst serving the interests of both Town and University.

“The Civic Trust argues that if excellence and innovation are not championed from the outset, for this critical development area, then Bolton Council will fail to deliver what the Town Centre and the people of Bolton really do need for the 21st century.

Bolton Council has stressed that the plans it released last year were a preliminary design and are still subject to further development and review, with more detailed designs expected once an architect has been appointed.

The council’s developer, PSP Bolton LLP is still to appoint an architect for the project, which will produce designs to inform a planning application - which the Civic Trust and other groups will be consulted on.

A spokesman for the council said: “We value the contribution of the Civic Trust and we have met them about their vision. We have also shared this with the developer and when a design brief is ready, their further input will be valued.”

THE PLAN: THE KEY ASPECTS OF THE CIVIC TRUST’S NEW VISION FOR CHEADLE SQUARE

  • Public Open Green Space Create enhanced public open space around Cheadle Square, incorporating an urban parkland, providing a setting for sensitive, quality development but integrated with green infrastructure.
  • Public Activity Space Remodel Cheadle Square into a public arena suitable for diverse cultural events, alleviating over-use of Victoria Square, thereby enabling greater experience of tranquility of the Town Hall setting.
  • Hierarchy and Balance of Vistas Forge important iconic and hierarchy of vistas — three axes emanating west-wards from the crescent arches, primarily to Queens Park, then the University vista line and, lastly, the parkland walk, all brought together at a hub that links all spaces, with a focal statue (Preferably of Lord Leverhulme).
  • Respect for Civic Buildings New buildings adjacent to the Crescent should observe scale and proportion, using a limited palette of quality materials.
  • Relationship, Scale and Space Open space requires unrestricted sunlight but also to constrain wind effects, with places for shelter. Buildings should observe scale and position. Taller buildings carefully modelled to minimize bulk that might outweigh civic buildings and spaces.
  • Sustainability Great care needed for climate change adaptation factors; eg. surface water flooding from intense rainfall, summer heat-waves and stronger winds.
  • Park-land and buildings designed to mitigate for these issues and embody low carbon sustainability. Essentially ‘green’ buildings integrated with the surrounding green infrastructure.
  • Commercial and Social Balance A balanced usage across this zone, together with an integrating vision for the core town centre: to realize extensive floor space with added commercial benefit of quality environment and public amenity.
  • Public Interest and Interface Ground floors should be permeable to create interface between ‘Town & Gown’, with commercial interaction.