A ‘DEPRIVED’ area will benefit from an injection of cash after fears parts of it are becoming ‘ghettoised’.

Dove Bank Estate, in Little Lever, has been earmarked for funds of more than £20,000 by ward councillors.

The money will come from Great Places as a condition of its planning permission for building 25 new houses off Park Road.

The funding was initially allocated to Mytham Park, but will now be diverted to Dove Bank Estate after ward councillors protested those affected by the development did not stand to benefit.

Cllr Sean Hornby said: “We’ve been arguing that Dovebank Estate is our most deprived part of our ward, we want to be able to spend money there, and we’re now due £20,000.

“The whole estate is completely run-down , not so much on the inside, but it’s the exterior, it’s an isolated estate built with no facility to drive cars around it, so it creates quite a lot of ghettos where anti-social behaviour can take place.”

He continued: “The money had to come back.It took a bit of a battle but Great Places agreed to it and therefore the money is back for the estate and in our control.”

Cllr Hornby, who says he wants to put some ‘pride back into the area’ is also hoping to raise cash from other sources, including ‘match-funding’ from Bolton at Home.

And he also hopes to give residents a renewed sense of ‘ownership’.

He added: “The first stage will be to send fliers and letters out inviting residents to a public meeting. I’m hoping they will set up a residents association to get them more clout and a better liaison with the police as well.”