A DRAMATIC transformation of the derelict Holland’s Garden Centre in Bromley Cross has been unveiled. Tom Molloy reports.

A complex consisting of a supermarket, a free car park for Bromley Cross station, four pitches for Bromley Cross Football Club, and assisted living apartments has been proposed for the former Holland’s Garden Centre site, in Darwen Road.

Discount supermarket giants Lidl have submitted the plans for the multi-million pound investment, which would see the company commit to building sustainable store, with plans for up to 40 new jobs.

The supermarket will also include facilities such as an in-store bakery, customer toilet and ample parking for both cars and bicycles.

Additionally, the supermarket would be committed to constructing a new 94-space car park for commuters using Bromley Cross station, as well as football pitches to the rear of the store for Bromley Cross Football Club.

Lidl GB’s regional head of property, Nick Harvey, said: “We are extremely excited about the prospect of opening a Lidl in Bromley Cross and serving our fresh, quality and incredibly good value produce which shoppers across the country have come to love.

“If granted, our plans would help rejuvenate a currently derelict site, back into use for members of the local public to enjoy.”

Lidl first announced that they were looking to open a store in Bromley Cross earlier this month, although the exact location was kept under wraps.

The Bolton News understands that the announcement at that time took Bromley Cross councillors by surprise as negotiations were still ongoing behind the scenes.

Before any decision is made, a public consultation event will be held on Tuesday November 5.

Local residents are invited to attend the event, which will be held between 4pm and 8pm, at Turton Sixth Form College, in Chapeltown Road.

Lidl will also be handing out around 3,000 flyers to residents in the weeks leading up to the meeting.

Mr Harvey added: “We look forward to welcoming anyone along to the public consultation day and showcasing our plans whilst answering any questions.”

Leader of Bolton Council and Bromley Cross ward councillor David Greenhalgh raised questions about the pros and cons of the proposed development, which would be built on greenbelt land.

He said: “Do the advantages of providing that car parking for the station, which will allow us to enforce parking restrictions on the nearby roads and estates to free them of commuter parking, plus the provision of community football pitches, outweigh the feelings we have regarding the encroachment into green belt land with a covenant? As well as providing a local Lidl and extra retirement living.

“Lidl will provide the station car park and the football pitches themselves, but to make this viable there has to be another development, hence the assisted retirement living. This may be a step too far for some residents, but without this, the scheme can’t happen.

“We are also acutely aware that large scale housing developers have also shown an interest in the site, which we would always strongly oppose due to the additional congestion that would cause at peak times.”

Addressing his constituents, Cllr Greenhalgh added: “Please let us know your views, and if you can, come along to the consultation evening. This is an important decision.”

Plans for community football pitches on the land were initially mooted in 2007.

David Norris, vice-chairman of Bromley Cross Football Club is delighted to see the vision come closer to fruition.

He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for local grassroots football.

“Bromley Cross FC originally paid for the planning for grass pitches in 2007 for the community children to play on better drained pitches.

“We have a number of teams playing on sub-standard, poorly drained pitches, laden with dog muck, debris, and glass dotted around the borough and finally after years of trying, this would be a fantastic facility to allow the kids of this community to play on and develop their ability to full potential.

“We are not an academy with academy funding or commercial vehicle to make profits, BCFC is a localised charity of volunteers and parents of children in this community.

“The kids and parents of this community paid into a fund in the club for these pitches and it would be amazing to see the next generation of kids actually playing on them. Sadly my children won’t get to play on them but it hasn’t stopped me continuing to fight for this facility and these much needed, well drained, grass pitches for generations of kids to come. We as a club wouldn’t rule out anyone from the community from using the facility. In our original 2007 planning approval we also held discussions as a community chartered charity football club to work with and allow both Turton High School and Eagley Junior Schools to use the pitches. This would still be our aspiration.”