A £14 MILLION leisure development on the site of Bolton's dog track has been given the shock go-aged by councillors.

This now means that the race is on to attract a major cinema operator for THREE planned multi-million pound entertainments complexes in the town.

The greyhound track scheme, the Bolton Wanderers sports village and the Tonge Valley project are all hoping to secure a multiplex cinema operator.

Planning officers had recommended that the scheme at the greyhound stadium should be turned down but councillors voted in favour of approval. The London-based Raven Group is planning to set up a multi-screen cinema, a bingo hall, a pub and club facilities and fast food outlets at Raikes Park on Manchester Road.

Councillors visited the site yesterday and met track officials before making their decision.

Burnden ward Labour Cllr Mrs Prentice Howarth said: "We have spoken to the greyhound people who have told us they will try to find another site for the greyhound racing. "They have said that if this scheme did not go ahead, they would close down the greyhound stadium anyway and we would be left with a derelict site. We need leisure facilities like this on the south side of Bolton." Officers had recommended that it should be turned down because there were no definite plans to build a new greyhound track.

Thirty nine letters were sent in to the council saying that greyhound racing is still successful and they called on the committee to turn down the scheme.

Mr Brian Rodden, chairman of the Bolton Greyhound Company, said after the meeting: "We are very pleased with this decision and we think it is the best way to keep greyhound racing in Bolton."

But dog owner Mr Gordon Egerton, who was at the meeting, hit out: "I don't think they have any intention of setting up another track in Bolton."

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