Developer Capital&Centric has submitted an outline planning application for its £50m plan to transform the former market precinct of Farnsworth near Bolton into a vibrant new town centre community.

The proposal includes 220 new design-led homes and approximately 3,200 sqm of commercial space that will reboot the town centre with a new leisure, hospitality and culture destination. A new linear park connecting the site and Farnworth Central Park is planned, providing a landscaped green hang out space.

The submission of the proposals follows a public consultation with the local community, which saw an overwhelming 84% of people express support for the scheme.

Tim Heatley, co-founder of Capital&Centric, said: “It’s ambitious projects like this that will transform town centres across the region. This is about rebooting the market town, with bold architecture, awesome homes, and spaces for events and creatives that will draw people in. It’ll be a new destination for people to live, work and hang out and will put Farnworth on the map.”

Located on King Street, the site is a short walk from the train station with easy access into Bolton and Manchester, and on the doorstep of the refurbished bus station, making it an ideal location for commuters.

In December last year Farnworth was awarded over £13m from the government’s Future High Street fund to help transform the high street. This will help deliver the town centre masterplan adopted by Bolton Council in 2019 which includes plans to redevelop the market precinct. Farnworth is also one of Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham’s Town Centre challenge areas.

Deputy Leader of Bolton Council and cabinet member for regeneration, Coun Martyn Cox added: “Bolton Council’s intervention in master planning the district centre and purchasing the shopping centre will allow this transformation and redevelopment to go ahead and respond positively to the community’s previous frustrations that investment and development was not happening quick enough for Farnworth.”

A decision on the planning application is expected from Bolton Council in the Summer.