A TOWN centre road closed yesterday for at least nine months as work began on the conversion of a mill into luxury apartments.

Ash Street, off Lower Bridgeman Street, is a key cut-through from the one-way Lower Bridgeman Street to the one-way Bridgeman Place, as a way to avoid the major junction of Manchester Road, Trinity Way and Bridgeman Place.

Permission has been granted by Bolton Council to close it for up to 18 months while redevelopment work takes place to transform the former Globe Works Mill into 124 apartments.

Empire Property Concepts is carrying out the redevelopment work and has announced the the mill will now see a major transformation, becoming “124 ultra-modern, high specification residential apartments”. New residents will enjoy a cinema, swimming pool, relaxation area and exercise room set out in the plans. The apartments will be one, two and three bedroom properties.

The mill, which stands between Lower Bridgeman Street, Bridgeman Place and Ash Street, was built in 1884 and rebuilt in 1929 by Hodgkinson and Gillbrand, which made knitted and crocheted hosiery. The firm moved to Fletcher Street in 1972.

Ash Street will be closed for at least t nine months as the rebuild takes place and Lower Bridgeman Street will be reduced to two lanes, instead of three, at the junction with Manchester Road. Bridgeman Place will also be reduced to one lane. The works are expected to be completed in nine months, though Bolton Council says this could change and have allowed the order to close the road to be in place for 18 months if the redevelopment is not complete.

Empire Property Concepts is also working on the former Williams BMW dealership in Bradshawgate, which was demolished earlier this year.