TIME will tell if the plans for the Cutacre tip prove to be a good deal for the town.

Greenbelt campaigners feel let down because Bolton Council is going along with revised UK Coal proposals that will create two industrial sites separated by a “greenbelt corridor”.

People who live in that area did not want any industry on the open cast mining site.

But Bolton needs employment and the council tells us that there has been interest from potential occupiers.

One estimate suggests — somewhat hopefully, I suspect — that there could eventually be up to 4,000 extra jobs available for local workers.

Much as I like to support “green” issues, I can see the sense in this alternative Cutacre scenario.

There is every reason to think an industrial area close to the motorway network would be an attractive proposition for potential investors.

Campaigners are not so sure about that and point out that Bolton already has a number of unoccupied industrial sites.

This is set to be a controversial issue for some time yet.