PLANS to redevelop a former garden centre have been criticised by a local history group.

The former centre in Brunel Street, off Chorley New Road in Horwich, could be turned into four flats and an office or retail space after a planning application was submitted to Bolton Council.

It would be a three-storey building with the flats on the first and second floors and the business space on the ground floor.

But after the proposals surfaced, Horwich Heritage objected to the development, criticising the designs.

In his objection submitted to Bolton Council, group chairman Stuart Whittle said: "We have no objection to the redevelopment of the former garden centre site in principle.

However, the design is totally out of keeping with the area.

"This area of Chorley New Road is dominated by the red brick architecture of the properties built in connection with the coming of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Works to Horwich in the 1880s and all have pitched slate roofs.

"In the design climate of 2018, it might be seen unfashionable to require a 'replication' of a traditional design style, based on the history of the town.

"But we recommend that these important historical references are pointed out to the applicant and that he should be required to produce a two or three-storey red brick building with a pitched slate roof rather than the timber and render facade with flat roof and parapet."

A statement submitted with the application said the development would provide "an opportunity to re-use a piece of brownfield land within the urban to provide employment and habitable purposes".