Vacant land which can attract crime and anti-social behaviour is set to be transformed under plans to create a major new business park.
Thirteen new units are earmarked for land just outside Bolton town centre.
If approved, the new units will be built on land off Washington Street and Fern Street on land formerly used by the Bolton Enterprise Centre.
The site is currently partly vacant and is partly used for storing heavy good vehicles.
A statement from Iris Sustainable Planning said: “The aim of the project is to generate and actively create a hub for activity and future investments and produce a design for a modern, high-quality development on a site with a relatively vast footprint.
“As a result, 13 new industrial units will be available to support Bolton’s economic expansion, providing new jobs and opportunities for the community.”
It added: “The site itself is, for the main part, currently vacant and overgrown with sporadic areas of poor-quality hardstanding.”
As well as creating jobs and making spaces for businesses to operate, the developers have also considered how remodelling the area could help to reduce crime.
A crime impact statement produced by Greater Manchester Police claimed there were several ways the development could have a positive effect.
It said: “The proposed development of industrial units is appropriate for this area which feature a number of similar uses.
“There will be a number of car parking areas, allowing staff to park on site rather than in the surrounding industrial estate or residential areas.”
It added: “The site is currently vacant which can generate criminal and antisocial behaviour such as fly-tipping, graffiti/criminal damage, and trespassing, the redevelopment of the site bringing it back into legitimate use will reduce the potential for these activities.
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“The Excellency Plaza will create a robust boundary to the South of the site, reducing the potential for intrusion from adjacent properties.”
But the GMP statement also said that the planners should reconsider their bicycle store locations and include a monitored intruder alarm on each unit, alongside other recommendations.
The plans will be open for neighbourhood consultations until Friday June 23 this year.
Bolton Council aims to decide whether or not to approve the plans by Thursday August 31.
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