Bolton must wait until the New Year to learn if two bids worth £40 million to 'level up' the area are successful.

The council submitted these two bids – each of them worth £20 million – to the Government over summer.

On becoming Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak said an announcement on the outcome of this round, the second round since the £4.8 billion 'Levelling Up' scheme was revealed in 2020, was scheduled for the end of this year.

But a letter to MPs this week said all bidders must wait until the New Year due to the number of applications and standard of applications received.

Read more: Bolton town centre Levelling Up bid to open hotel and Debenham's unit

The news is a blow to some bidders, who are seeing the cost of their proposals soaring as a result of inflation.

The letter to MPs suggested additional funds are to be allocated in response to this issue.

In Bolton, the two bids are for investment into the town centre and into De Havilland Way.

In the town centre, the aim is to add a high-end hotel to Le Mans Crescent and a conference complex to Albert Halls, and to make improvements to Market Place shopping centre and the area around Mawdsley Street.

Meanwhile on De Havilland Way, the aim is to increase capacity and improve connectivity in an area of significant congestion between the Beehive Roundabout and Junction Six of the motorway.

Martyn Cox, the leader of the council, accepted the reason for the delay, which is believed to be until the end of January.

Cllr Cox said: "We are disappointed that the decision on Levelling Up funding has been delayed until the end of January.

"However, we appreciate that there had been a number of quality bids submitted in the latest round and it is more important that the government takes time to ensure the right projects are supported.

"We also understand that the overall pot will be bigger, allowing for more funding to be allocated.

"Bolton has submitted two quality bids and we await the outcome in January."

In an initial round of the £4.8 billion 'Levelling Up' scheme last year, the borough was awarded £20 million for Bolton College of Medical Sciences, where work started in the last few months.

The borough was denied £16 million for a redevelopment of Crompton Place shopping centre, now on hold until at least 2024.