Refreshed Hulton Park proposals would reduce number of new homes on Green Belt land by up to half

Peel L&P extends consultation period and releases additional details of greener, more accessible and inclusive masterplan to breathe new life into historic estate

- Reduced number of homes on Green Belt land, by at least a third and up to a half, compared with plans approved in 2020

- Additional 12km of walkways, cycle paths and nature trails to open up new and improved public access to the parklands, delivering long-term community benefits

- New 3km ‘Park Avenue’ road to create new access from the M61 and provide local traffic relief 

- Extended public consultation to run until 30 June 2021

Refreshed proposals to breathe new life into the historic Hulton Park estate would result in at least a third and up to a half of the new homes proposed being built on Green Belt land compared with the currently approved plans, Peel L&P has confirmed.

The previous plans which were granted planning approval in 2020 included 1,036 homes, all of which would be built on Green Belt land.

In its refreshed vision, launched in response to public feedback, Peel L&P has expanded the site to include a large area of additional land to the west of Hulton Park that is not within the Green Belt and which has been long earmarked for housing development. This will allow more of Hulton Park to be retained as parkland for the benefit of the local community and the environment and will reduce the amount of homes which could be developed on Green Belt land by at least a third and up to a half.

The refreshed masterplan would also reduce the density of the proposed housing, to ensure that the new homes are set in village clusters around attractive greenways, pocket parks and village greens, whilst widening the choice of homes for local people including affordable properties.

The developer has also released new details of the substantial enhancements to the amount and quality of publicly accessible green space included in the new vision.

Currently there are very limited Public Rights of Way providing access to the edges of Hulton Park, comprised of paths across fields which are frequently wet and muddy. In the refreshed masterplan, these existing pathways will be upgraded so they can be enjoyed all year round and an additional 12km of new routes will be created in the form of:

- A multi-use trail for walking, running and cycling from Over Hulton to Westhoughton, running through the heart of the Hulton Park and connecting a sequence of historic and new viewpoints

- A new orbital path around the edge of Hulton Park, providing views into and across the Park from all directions

- Extensions to existing Public Rights of Way, to better connect them for new and existing residents

- A new Heritage Trail and a Nature Trail for guided visits and tours for the local community, schools and visitors

Access to the area would also be improved through the creation of a 3km long “Park Avenue” running from the M61 towards Atherton with a segregated cycleway and footpath. This is a substantial enhancement from the 1km link road proposed as part of the approved scheme, and by bypassing Chequerbent Roundabout and Snydale Way will provide both a better gateway to the estate and serve as traffic relief for the area.

The creation of new homes, jobs and public green space would be enabled by a successful bid to bring the Ryder Cup tournament to the proposed Hulton Park Golf Resort. The proposed golf course has already been shortlisted by UK Sport and Ryder Cup Europe as a potential venue for England’s bid to host the Ryder Cup in 2031 or 2035.

This would represent a transformative investment in the local economy, creating over 1,000 jobs in the local area and delivering social and economic impact of at least £1.2bn overall.

Peel L&P launched a major public consultation earlier in June into the refreshed proposals which has now been extended by an extra week, giving the local community until 30 June 2021 to review the detailed plans and submit their feedback.

Richard Knight, Peel L&P’s Director of Land and Communities, said: “The detail of our refreshed proposals demonstrate a greener, more accessible and more inclusive Hulton Park, which can benefit the local economy and the communities of Bolton for generations to come.

“There is great demand for all types of new homes in Bolton but we understand the sensitivities of building on Green Belt land. By bringing land to the west of Hulton Park into our proposals, land that is not Green Belt but has been previously identified for housing, we can extend the new parkland, community facilities and golf course whilst significantly reducing the amount of housing proposed within the Green Belt. Ultimately this is about striking a greener balance.

“We are also committed to delivering more and greatly improved access to Hulton Park’s beautiful green spaces. The wide range of walking and cycle paths and nature and heritage trails we have proposed will open areas of Hulton Park that have been hidden for centuries to the people of Bolton, now and for generations to come – for socialising, for enjoyment and for wellbeing.

“This is in addition to the creation of Pretoria Memorial Park, a productive kitchen garden, a Lancashire Rose Garden, horticultural highlights around the golf course and a new nature park adjacent to Newbrook Drive. We are also considering how we can incorporate suggestions from the community such as new allotments.

“All of this would be enabled by a successful bid to bring the Ryder Cup to Bolton. This is a very real possibility which would bring jobs, investment, a major boost to the visitor economy and new long term opportunities for the town. 

“We have received a huge volume of interest in the public consultation so far. Some people are very excited and believe in what we are trying to do. There is also some opposition and a lack of belief that Bolton could attract one of the world’s greatest events, but with the changes we want to make, we hope to bring more people on this exciting journey. We have decided to extend the consultation period by an extra week, to 30 June 2021, to ensure everyone has their voice heard. I’d like to thank everyone who has taken the time to visit the website and provide feedback so far.”

Commenting on the potential for Bolton to host the Ryder Cup in 2031 or 2035, Mike Blackburn, Chair of Marketing Manchester, which promotes Greater Manchester on the national and international stage, said: “Creating a championship-standard golf course, resort and facilities at Hulton Park would be an outstanding addition to Greater Manchester’s already strong credentials as a globally-significant location for sport.

“Hosting The Ryder Cup, one of golf’s most popular competitions, would be a massive feather in Bolton’s and our region’s cap. I am pleased to support Peel L&P’s ambitious vision, which if realised would bring huge economic benefits to Greater Manchester over the long term with thousands of international visitors every year coming to play the course and enjoying the many other brilliant attractions the North West has to offer.”

Residents can ask questions and submit feedback in the following ways:

- Visiting the consultation website and completing a feedback form at www.hultonparkconsultation.co.uk

- Calling the Community Information Line on 0333 358 0502 (Monday to Friday, 9.00am – 5.30pm)

- Emailing comments and questions to hultonparkconsultation@havingyoursay.co.uk

During the consultation, the project team are also hosting a series of webinars, which will provide residents with an opportunity to view a presentation of the plans and submit questions. Details on how to register can be found at the consultation website.