TWO former landfill sites in Bolton have been sold to a private redevelopment company.

Cox Green in Egerton and Red Moss in Horwich have been sold by Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) to Landcare (Manchester).

The new owners specialise in redeveloping redundant brownfield sites and say they have expertise in environmental management, planning, renewable energy and waste management.

But Landcare say they have no fixed plans to redevelop the sites — the firm’s bosses say they initially want to maintain the sites to ensure they do not pose any environmental risks to the public.

Landcare managing director Roger Warren said: “Now we have bought the sites we will establish a regime of care and maintenance.

“For example, at Red Moss some of the equipment there will need maintaining, such as the gas stripping equipment.None of the sites pose a risk to the public or to the environment.

“Cox Green is a very pleasant natural environment between a disused quarry, residents’ housing and the golf club where the public can walk across. It’s a natural habitat and it will remain like that.”

“Red Moss is in the centre of a major development area and we will assess plans for it going forward in the future.”

Drinkwater Park in Bury was also sold off in the sale of 18 former landfill sites making up 526 acres across Greater Manchester.

GMWDA chairman Cllr Neil Swannick said: “The sites were a legacy from the past when the majority of waste was disposed of directly to landfill.

“As such we are delighted that Landcare, a specialist professional company with the right expertise and the opportunity to bring the sites into more beneficial use, be that through focused community engagement or in some cases redevelopment.”