THERE are hopes that a former nursery site in Bromley Cross could still be developed for local sport. 

Bromley Cross FC confirmed this week that it is still working with the receivers of the former Hollands garden centre to use the land as a sport facility.

Club vice-chairman David Norris told The Bolton News: “We’ve been working towards that for a very long time and we’re still very much working towards it.

“Hopefully something might be happening with it soon.”

The site has been the target of increasing anti-social behaviour in the past month, with three fires started in the past week alone.

More than 10 years ago it was suggested that football pitches could be formed on the huge swathe of green belt land at the back of the former nursery site, but the vision did not materialise.

In 2007 Bromley Cross FC was granted permission to create a campus of eight or more grassroots pitches, complete with clubhouse and changing rooms.

The scheme came about through an agreement drafted between the owner of Hollands Nursery, Don Faulkner, and the club, but relations between the two collapsed in 2013.

READ MORE: Fire crews echo warning about fire at derelict garden centre after yet another incident

In September, 2014 a new vision was unveiled for a multi-million pound sports village, including all-weather pitches and a gym, as well as an Aldi supermarket and a Touchwood restaurant.

Two years ago the site was included in the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework plans for house building. It raised fears that up to 300 homes could be built on the green belt site.

In June 2016, the land’s receiver, David Currie, who was appointed by the by-then liquidated Hollands business, said he had entered the site into the Greater Manchester Combined Authority framework ‘as a back-up plan’.

The site has not been identified for housing in the revised version of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, released for consultation in January.

Mr Currie has said he ‘remains committed’ to working with Bromley Cross FC to create a community sports facility on the land.