Redevelopment at a historic Bolton mill is set to be debated and voted on at a crucial meeting next week.

This comes after part of the Atlas Mills complex on Bentinck Street was divided up into several units in recent years, including into a new workshop and gym, with changes to ways in and car parking.

The developers have now applied retrospectively for permission to make these changes.

Cllr Roger Hayes, who represents the area on Bolton Council said: “It shouldn’t make any difference, if its found to be the wrong planning application then it should be turned down.

The Bolton News: The plans have been lodged partly in retrospectThe plans have been lodged partly in retrospect (Image: Bolton Council)

“Too many people take the view, I’m not saying that is the case here but generally, too many people take the view that they can just go ahead with these things and then forget about the planning application.”

The full plan asks for permission to divide part of the mill into 12 storage units, an industrial unit and vehicle access onto Sofa Street and Mornington Road with pedestrian access onto Bentinck Street.

It has aims to create parking for seven cars off Mornington Road.

But a report by Bolton Council points out that the application has been made at least partly in retrospect and that several units have already been let to businesses including the workshop unit, the gym and more than half of the storage units.

Cllr Hayes said: “We requested that it should have come before the planning committee a long, long time ago but we’ve had various delays.

“All for very good reasons, don’t get me wrong, but it really is something we would like to have been able to deal with by now.”

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At the same meeting, the committee will also be debating a proposal to install up to eight new illuminated signs.

The signs will be used to advertise various businesses, but Cllr Hayes has asked for both the retrospective plans and the new proposals for signs to be debated by Bolton Council after hearing of objections from residents.

The plans will be debated at a meeting of Bolton Council’s planning committee next week on Thursday June 15.