THE £12million Government grant to create a link road through the Horwich Loco Works redevelopment has been welcomed by the community.

The funding was awarded to Bolton Council last week and the new road will link the 1,700-home Rivington Chase site to Middlebrook.

This will help divert traffic away from Chorley New Road, something residents had been raising concerns about for the last few years.

Cllr Steve Rock, mayor of Horwich, said: "This will hopefully be a huge boost to help alleviate and prevent congestion on one of the towns busiest roads and will go some way to dealing with concerns of many residents worried about the impact the Loco Works development will have on the town.

"However, there is a very long way to go before residents can be confident in the viability of the project without a full masterplan in place, including how the council plans on providing for the increased need for school places, doctors, dentists and other required infrastructure."

Cllr Steven Chadwick also welcomed the news but said concerns remained on contamination and the provision of health, sport and education in the town.

He said: "The announcement by the UK Government of £12million funding to ensure there will be a link road from the Rivington Chase development on Horwich Loco Works, through to Middlebrook retail park, is fantastic news for Horwich.

"Horwich has seen little to no infrastructure improvements since Bolton Council took over the running of our town in 1974, despite the building of one of the country's most successful retail parks in our town, including a 27,000 capacity football ground, plus all the additional homes which have been built on our green spaces."