I READ with horror about Bolton Council’s plans to demolish the former Bolton Community College building in Clarence Street.

Are these people stupid or just blissfully ignorant of our town’s heritage?

I despair at those in the planning department who tell us they want to knock down this landmark building for no other reason than to satisfy their obsession for generating pennies from car parks, and all this after recently stating it was worthy of preservation.

This building is one of the few eye-catching structures that can be seen from the nearby A666 — the main gateway into our town.

Why not integrate it into the nearby Little Bolton Conservation Area? It is in an ideal spot for re-development — close to the motorway network and yet 10 minutes walk from the town centre and there is decent parking space already on site.

What a development opportunity for anyone with a bit of foresight.

But therein lies the problem — foresight or lack of. I envy Mancunians who can look down upon historic and heritage buildings (like the many industrial sites in Castlefield) which have been saved, spruced up and re-born as flats or classy office facilities. Bolton Council's fuzzy, short-term planning policies, in comparison, fill me with shame and sadness.

What would someone like Lord Leverhulme have made of it all?

I desperately hope the building can be saved, although the recent track record of demolitions to the old fire station on Marsden Road and the art deco Odeon building do not bode well. I cautiously welcome the council's plans to regenerate the town centre (eg: Church Wharf) but this betrayal of our precious heritage shows they are not up to the job of carrying it through successfully.

In fact, I think as taxpayers we should all be seriously worried about how our wonderful town might look in five years time.

Phil Cunliffe (aged 37) Barrow Bridge