RESIDENTS are to be given their say over plans to breathe new life into Bolton's historic mills.

Bolton Council has launched a pilot scheme involving six mills in Great Lever and wants to look at all 108 mills across the borough by March, 2008.

The council hopes new businesses will be attracted to take up empty spaces in the mills and create hundreds of new jobs.

Although 72 per cent of mills in the area are in industrial, storage or warehouse use, almost half of the floorspace remains unoccupied.

The council pilot scheme will look at two mills on Higher Swan Lane, the Haslam Mill on Haslam Street, the Moor Mill/Rothwell Mill on Parrot Street and at mills at the Burnden Bleachworks in Burnden Road and Hartford Tannery in Weston Street.

Consultation meetings will give the local community the chance have their say on the possible use of the buildings.

They will be held on February, 17 and 24, from 10am to 2pm, at The Melting Pot, St Philip's Church Hall in Bridgeman Street, Bolton.

Cllr Ebrahim Adia, Bolton Council's executive member for development, said: "Bolton has an impressive mills heritage and we recognise the importance of the mills resource for many years to come.

"I hope the mill strategy will help preserve some of the more distinctive buildings and enhance employment opportunities in some of our key urban areas."

The council is hoping to receive £1m in investment funds over the next three years as a result of a bid to the Government Office North West.