Work starts to transform Egerton House Hotel

Work has already begun on the old Egerton House Hotel in Blackburn Road, Bolton, to turn it into a 64-bedroom care home.

It follows on from a successful planning application, approved with conditions in 2019, in a joint venture between McDonald Hotels, which owns the building, and the McGoff Group’s New Care brand.

The care home will create around 100 jobs and will welcome its first residents in September, 2023.

The hotel, which closed in 2014, was well known for weddings, family parties and business events.

Bromley Cross councillor Sam Connor, has welcomed the project after it had been left for several years.

She said: “Egerton House has been subject to a number of instances of vandalism.

“It is a welcome addition to the community, which will enhance the area.

“It was left as a wasteland, which was overgrown, unsafe and falling down.”

The building’s rich history can be dated back to 1860 and was previously owned by a local businessman who had roots in mill factories.

Permission has been requested by Turton Local History Society for stone from 1835 to be installed at Egerton Park, with the help of Egerton Park Improvement Committee.

Although the house is not a listed building, it is still regarded as a ‘building of significant interest’, and this was put forward as an important condition to be met in the plans.

Egerton House

Lead architect on the project, from Street Design Partnership, Flavia Invernizzi, said: “We want to renovate the house as an original feature.

“We have kept the front side line for local value, compared to the front elevation of the new build that will sit behind.

“When people arrive at the care home, they will recognise the house straight away.

“Everything else that is being demolished, organically existed through time, and doesn’t add any value to the house.

“We’re very excited about it, but there is a lot of work to be done.

“We have been busy cleaning the site and made sure any endangered species are protected.”

The bay windows will be restored and cleaned, similar to the existing ones, in the original colour and materials.

The privately-funded care centre will be on three floors and feature fully furnished bedrooms with en suite wet rooms, communal lounges and dining rooms, spa-assisted bathrooms, and a hair salon and nail bar.

The area which used to be the service area has now been demolished.

Cleaning of the site and demolition work is expected to take several weeks or months to complete.

Artist's impression of the care home at Egerton House

Discussions are currently taking place to decide which parts of the building will be renovated and restored.