COUNCIL bosses have recommended sites across the borough to be sold to raise funds and build much needed housing.

An executive meeting chaired by Bolton Council’s deputy leader, Cllr Martyn Cox outlined 27 different sites across the borough recommended to be sold at auction, many potentially for housing.

Decisions for a further 10 sites, five for housing and five for capital assets, have been deferred for “further investigation” after feedback from ward councillors.

The Bolton News revealed in late October that Bolton Council is needing to make £37.2m worth of cuts next year to off-set the devastating financial impact of the pandemic.

The sale of these sites across the borough could raise vital funds for the council.

Cllr Martyn Cox, deputy leader of Bolton Council, said the sites chosen have been found to no longer have any use for the council, and should be put to better use.

He said the land has been chosen for disposal after extensive consultation with ward councillors with some having been on the council’s housing allocation plan for some time.

He said: “This has been years in the making as the council wanted to better maintain its assets. We’ve put together the policy over 18 months or so to dispose of assets that have no use for us in the long term.

“It’s been part of a big process that will continue long after these phases. The council owns a lot it has no use for which is much better off in the hands of people who can properly look after it so we can better maintain what we have left, rather than overstretching ourselves.

Land recommended to be sold for housing includes parcels around Avenue Street in Halliwell, home of Bolton Rugby Union Club. It is not guaranteed this would become housing, according to Cllr Cox.

Another significant piece of land, recommended to be sold to Bolton Community Homes Ltd, surrounds Queensbridge Primary School and the adjacent reservoir in Farnworth.

To see the full list of sites, click here.