'Money is there' for Horwich Health Hub car park spaces

Building work on the new Horwich Health Hub on Church Street has been one of the biggest projects Horwich town centre has seen in recent years.

But after Bolton West MP Chris Green raised concerns about funding for car parking spaces at the site, the area’s representatives have assured the public these will indeed by available.

Cllr David Grant, of Horwich South and Blackrod, said: “It’s going to include the added car park, the issue is just about when this will be open.

“Because the car park will be finished after the health hub is finished.”

An artist's impression of the finished health hub (Image: Bolton Council)

He added: “The money is there we’ve suspended the standing orders, which means that work will be able to go ahead, so as far as we’re concerned its business as usual.”

Documents published by Bolton Council show their portion of the car park has been paid for by a lease of £255,000 to the Clinical Commission Group and £395,000 from the towns fund.

At a meeting on March 5, the council agreed to suspend standing orders to allow the current on site contractor to finish works on the car park.

The documents say that the car park is expected to be finished by the end of this year.

Mr Green says he raised concerns about funding for the car park after having heard that there may have been a pause between the first and second stage of works.

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But he says he has heard from Cllr Grant, leader of the Horwich and Blackrod First Independents and Bolton Council leader Nick Peel that the car park will be done in “good time.”

Mr Green said: “I’m grateful to Cllr David Grant for clarifying the funding situation both on social media and in private correspondence.

“The Leader of Bolton Council has also responded to my letter and confirmed what Cllr Grant has said but also said that the confirmation of the contracts and timescales involved are yet to be confirmed.

“I would like to thank Cllr David Grant and Cllr Nick Peel for the work they are doing to ensure that this important project for the local community is finished in a timely fashion.”