WE welcome news that up to 1,000 jobs could be restored to the former British Aerospace site at Lostock.

It is early days yet, but the town stands to benefit greatly from the Taylor Woodrow Property Company's multi-million pound plans for "a quality business park" on 37 acres of land no longer needed for aerospace use.

The proposed deal has been helped along by the Bolton WIDE initiative -- an imaginative public and private partnership which impressed Regeneration Minister Beverley Hughes when she visited Bolton in July.

Local businessman John Entwistle, who runs the British Turntable company, was the inspiration for WIDE (it stands for West Industrial Development and Enterprise) and acts as its chairman.

He and his team have been working behind the scenes to bring jobs back to an area which now accommodates only 450 Matra BAe Dynamics workers.

More than 40 years ago, when Mr Entwistle was employed by the De Havilland company, the factory had more than 5,000 workers.

Today's news will stir memories for many people and raise hope in others that the proposed new business park will go some way towards re-creating past glories.

Issues still to be resolved include the future of the various sports organisations which continue to play an important part in local community life.

It is encouraging that Taylor Woodrow says it is talking "amicably" to the sports users and we can only hope that everybody is happy with the eventual outcome.