WORK has started on a "country park" that will surround the new Logistics North industrial development in Bolton.

Developers Harworth Estates are building a 4 million sq ft distribution and manufacturing centre at the former Cutacre open cast mine site off the M61 near Over Hulton and have started to develop the 550-acre park.

Already 40,000 trees have been planted at the site and 100 new ponds are being installed.

Councils in Bolton, Salford and Wigan — which all border the site — have approved the design of the park, which will be completed in 2018.

It will be made up of a range of viewing points and picnic areas, footpaths, bridleways and cycleways along with wildlife and woodland areas.

Cutacre has been the subject of years of debate and residents fought a long-running battle to have the site made into a country park once open-cast mining ended in 2011.

Keith Davies, Bolton Council’s director of development and regeneration, said the latest news supports a commitment that was made to the local community regarding the park.

He said: “The country park has always been an important part of the project and we always expected a substantial part of the work on it to start in the first phase of the overall development.

"I hope the community will see that this is the commitment that we made.”

Two major businesses have already agreed to move into the Logistics North site — German supermarket Aldi will base its north west headquarters and distribution centre there and missile manufacturer MBDA has also agreed to make the hub its new home.

Independent estimates predict that the development could add £335 million to the north west’s economy and accommodate up to 7,300 new jobs once it has been built out.

Chris Davidson, Harworth’s development manager added: “Logistics North is one of the north of England’s most significant developments and with the completion of infrastructure works for phase one we look forward to the completion of Aldi and MBDA’s units and attracting more high-calibre occupiers to the site.”

“We are delighted to have received planning consent for the country park which means we can now deliver a key piece of community infrastructure for the local community for years to come.”

Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Cliff Morris, said: “Logistics North is hugely important for Bolton and the wider region —

there will be thousands of jobs created for our residents and the whole site will bring a huge boost to Bolton for years to come.”