DESIGNERS have come up with a multi-million pound formula to transform Smithills Estate into a top tourist attraction.

Winners of a national competition to find the best design for the 2,000 acre estate have been announced.

The successful plans - which include an innovative heritage centre to house Bolton's historic collection of industrial machinery - will now go out to public consultation.

And it is hoped that workmen will be on site ready to start the ambitious project soon after Christmas.

Leisure chiefs launched the competition through the Royal Institute of British Architects in a bid to get the best in Britain to develop the jewel in Bolton's historic crown.

Out of 72 original entrants a consortium of nine specialist firms headed by Leicester based Nicholas Allen and Company won the first prize of the final contract to carry out the work. Their detailed vision for Smithills incorporates previous reports on the best way to develop the house and grounds into an attraction that will make learning fun and attract people back time and time again.

It also includes new ideas such as a huge heritage centre to be built in a natural hollow along side the drive and parallel to Smithills Dean Road.

A large part of the structure would be below ground level and the building would be topped by a grassed over curved roof so it does not detract from the views of the hall from the road.

This building will form an industrial museum which will house Bolton's collection of historic textile machinery recently saved for the town after a massive public outcry.

A few of the measures such as plans to turn farming land into car parking are bound to cause controversy. Other measures include a visitor orientated centre which will handle tickets sales promotions and merchandising so the hall itself does not become overtly commercial, an electric tram, nature trails to exploit the interesting natural architecture of the estate and a show ground for country fairs and concerts.

The hall itself will beredeveloped based on a mixture of old and new designs.

Cllr Bob Howarth, who is on the panel of judges said, "They were selected on the basis of their imagination and ideas. Now we have the moment of truth when we try to develop those ideas by agreement. It is going to be a long process but a very exciting one."

The winning team have architects, landscape artists and interior designers etc. It will cost between between £4million and £13 million to develop Smithills depending of what parts of the plans the council go ahead with. The council have pledged money from the sale of the Lion Oil works to the project and it has been awarded a European Regional Development Fund grant of £900,000.

A bid for lottery money has been submitted and there are plans to attract private investors. The plans do not proposed fencing off the estate and the aim is to keep the grounds largely open to the public while making them pay for extra attractions and facilities. There next task will be to develop a plan of phasing in their ideas in a way that means income generated by the first stages of the work can be used to fund later developments.

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