New car parking spaces could be set to be created right in the heart of a fast-growing town centre.

This comes after a plan was put forward to create access to a public car park behind the Old PR Gibbs and Co site, which is set to be transformed into offices.

Westhoughton’s much trailed new banking hub is also set to be opened on the first floor.

Cllr David Wilkinson, of Westhoughton South, said: “These properties were all originally built as terraced houses in the 1800s so they put in a dirt car park and then they came and put the hoardings back in.”

He added: “So if they put car parking in at the back of the premises then it could actually be that car parking spaces overall are lost because they’ll need to put in the access points.

Westhoughton has seen an increased demand for car parking recentlyWesthoughton has seen an increased demand for car parking recently (Image: Public)

“It’ll have to go to planning and it will also have to go to corporate because if I remember rightly the car park is actually under the control of corporate property at the council, not highways.”

This comes at a busy time for Westhoughton which has seen a variety of new businesses open around Market Street in recent months and years, all creating more demand for parking.

The plans for the new car parking spaces were put before Bolton Council on Friday June 21 and if approved will include seven new standards spaces with one disabled parking space.

A statement from Jenkins Design Services said that the plan aimed to provide car parking spaces for people renting the new offices on Market Street.

It said: “The front of the properties faces Market Street and at the rear of the existing garden is the public car park run by Bolton Council.”

ALSO READ: 'Urgent' call to revive free car park as town centre grows

ALSO READ: Proposal for new flats above town centre shop

ALSO READ: New banking hub 'will make huge difference' to town left with no bank branches

It added: “Pedestrian access to the site is mainly along Market Street and will be primarily used by the tenants and their customers.

“The building can also be accessed by pedestrians via the rear entrance.

“The proposed car park is entered via the public car park to the south and a new double timber gate in the existing hoarding creates access and privacy screening.”

Bolton Council will aim to decide whether or not to approve the plans by Friday August 16 this year.