Cranes roll into Farnworth as reboot of the town centre takes major step forward

A towering crane has appeared on the Bolton skyline as Capital&Centric’s project to reboot Farnworth’s town centre hits a key milestone.

New images from site show the scale of the work underway to take down the outdated precinct and deliver Farnworth Green; a new town centre neighbourhood featuring an eclectic mix of family homes, independent retailers, cafébars and green outdoor hangout spaces.

With remediation of the sprawling site now complete, the concrete frame for the main buildings is starting to rise out the ground with a tower crane in place to aid construction.

Once complete, the social impact developer’s £24m Farnworth Green will feature 97 rental homes with a design edge, including a mix of one and two-bed apartments, as well as contemporary two and three-bed family townhouses.

Work on the scheme - backed in part by the Government’s Future High Street Fund, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Brownfield Housing Fund and Bolton Council’s District Centres Fund - started last December. Since then, many of the tired, original buildings have been dismantled, with contractors Vermont Construction appointed for the build.

Tim Heatley, Co-founder at Capital&Centric, said:

“The scale of change has been rapid over the last six months in Farnworth, the precinct is looking unrecognisable from this time last year. The coming months will see tonnes of activity on site. The skeleton of the new neighbourhood will start to take shape and, for the first time, visitors will get a real feel for what the next chapter for Farnworth has in store.

“For us, it’s all about ushering in a new era for the town centre, with really high quality rental homes for those that appreciate good design, surrounded by new shops and facilities that draw people into Farnworth.

“The progress is a testament to what can happen when the private sector works with ambitious, proactive public sector partners like in Bolton and Greater Manchester.”

As well as homes, the neighbourhood will also boast a roof terrace and lounge for residents, co-working spaces, 20,000 sqft of commercial space for independent businesses and a ground floor community hub.

Bolton Council’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Akhtar Zaman, said:

“Farnworth Green is a perfect example of what our regeneration agenda is achieving right across the borough. By partnering with a developer with an outstanding reputation, we are transforming an underused brownfield site into a vibrant, modern, and exciting new neighbourhood.

“I am sure Farnworth residents will be delighted to see work progressing well, and the council remains committed to revitalising not just Bolton town centre but our district centres as well.”

It’s one of several town centre reboots that Capital&Centric are delivering as part of an ongoing mission to re-imagine Greater Manchester’s district centres – helping draw in a new generation of people to live and work there. Plans are in the works to transform Wigan’s former civic centre into creative new workspaces, whilst the overhaul of Weir Mill in Stockport is powering ahead.

Farnworth Green will feature:

·       Design-led homes: Including 85 one and two bedroom apartments as well as 12 family homes (two and three bedroom) to create a real mix of residents calling Farnworth home

·       Commercial: Over 20,000 sqft of space for bars, cafes and independent stores

·       Community hub: A groundfloor community hub, providing a space to meet-up

·       A new public square: Complete with green spaces and places to relax

·       Outdoor community spots: Including an events pavilion, set to support outdoor community events from art and live music to makers markets

·       Greenery: Lush landscaping to introduce greenery to the town centre

·       Accessibility: Pedestrian links through the community and safe cycle storage