BOLTON'S industrial heritage faces a more secure future from today with the announcement that 14 local mills have been given listed building status.

The mills are among 30 Greater Manchester textile mills of architectural or historic interest added to the protected buildings list by the Government today.

As well as eleven Bolton mills gaining Grade II listed status the Heritage Minister Lord Inglewood has announced that Swan Lane Mills Nos 1 and 2 and Swan Lane Mill No 3 at Higher Swan Lane, Bolton have now been upgraded to Grade II* to recognise their importance.

Only four percent of all 500,000 listed buildings around the country carry the grade two star status.

The other Bolton mills gaining Grade II listing are: Cobden Mill, Gower Street, Farnworth; Wallsuches Bleach Works, Chorley Old Road, Horwich; Kearsley Mill, Crompton Road, Kearsley; Astley Bridge Mill, Blackburn Road, Bolton; Croal Mill, Blackshaw Lane, Deane; Beehive Mills, Crescent Road, Bolton; Gilnow Mill, Gilnow Road, Bolton; Grecian Mills, Lever Street, Great Lever; Horrockses Mill, Lorne Street, Kearsley.

The Eagley former Spinning Mill No 2 and Eagley former No 3 Twist Mill at Hough Lane, Bolton are also included on the list.

They were given emergency Grade II status in July this year because they were under threat, but the listing came too late to save Eagley No 1 mill from destruction.

Announcing the new listings Lord Inglewood said: "The mill buildings were at the forefront of the technology of the day.

"There were once around 2,400 mills in the Greater Manchester area. Yet by 1992 nearly half of those buildings had been demolished. It is important that we act now to identify the most significant survivors and preserve them for the benefit of future generations."

The Greater Manchester mills included in today's announcement were suggested for listing by English Heritage in May last year and were the first batch of listing recommendations to be subject to public consultation.

But English Heritage says that loss of one Eagley Mill during the consulation period means future listing proposals should be dealt with more quickly.

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