MORE than 100 flats and 56 town houses set to be built on Deansgate will have a ‘transformational’ effect on Bolton town centre, councillors have heard.

Bolton’s planning committee approved the plans with work set to begin next month and the development completed within 18 months to two years.

Developers Central Street SPV Limited now have consent to demolish buildings fronting Deansgate and to construct a new development 102 apartments and 56 town houses together with commercial space there.

The application also proposes new hard and soft landscaping, a public square, improvements to nearby roads and footpaths.

Another promise from the developers is improvements close to the River Croal including a river walk which will open up the waterway to residents and those visiting the town centre.

The developers said they wished to attract a ‘mixed community’ to live in the the properties, including young families in the town houses.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Andy Morgan, adult services cabinet member, said the new homes would have a massive positive impact for the centre.

He said: “This is transformational for Bolton. It will kickstart a lot of the other great schemes being planned for the town centre.

“The developers tell me they are ready to go so the timescales could be completion in 18 months to two years.”

Cllr Nick Peel, said: “It’s hard to underestimate the importance of this development to the town centre and the borough.

“The old town centre is long gone and it’s not coming back.

“We can’t recreate what’s gone in the past and need to re-plan the nature of what our town centre is in the future.

“Town centre living will help revitalise the centre and help our retail offer and boost our culture and hospitality sectors.”

Bolton and District Civic Trust had objected to the plans, saying they would damage the heritage of the town centre.

They said it would ‘destroy most of the remaining buildings of merit within the north west of the town centre’, including Georgian buildings dating back to the late 1700s.

They also said the plans crammed too many households onto a limited site with too little green space.

An officers’ report stated: “The demolition of the buildings fronting Deansgate will lead to less than substantial harm to the significance of the Deansgate Conservation Area and this harm is considered to be outweighed

to the benefits of the scheme to regeneration, to housing supply, to an increased town centre population.”