Pocket parks and allotments could have their futures secured thanks to a scheme that will see them leave council ownership.

Last month the council announced that all kinds of buildings and sites will be taken over by new owners under community asset transfers.

This will include allotments in Horwich and two pocket parks in Blackrod, which will instead be taken over by their town councils.

Cllr David Grant, of Horwich South and Blackrod, said: “It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a while now because Bolton Council no longer has an allotments officer and it’s a bit like the wild west out there now in terms of allotments.”

He added: “Hopefully we’ll be able to keep them in good condition because there’s some allotments in Horwich that end up going fallow or ending up in the same families for generations.

Cllrs Williamson, Wright and Grant at a pocket park in 2022Cllrs Williamson, Wright and Grant at a pocket park in 2022 (Image: Public)

“There are some that end up listed on Rightmove with house sales and that’s really not the point of allotments!”

Under the proposals, the allotments will be taken over by Horwich Town Council, while Blackrod Town Council will take over the running of the pocket parks.

Bolton Council heard in July how assets including the Horwich allotments and the two Blackrod pocket parks will be transferred alongside sites like Rock Hall at Moses Gate Country Park.

This was aimed at helping to secure their future and at cutting upkeep costs paid by the council.

Cllr Grant said that the transfers for the allotments and pocket parks are currently working their way through the process.

He said: “There’s a lot of space so what we’d like to do is look at community gardens, get schools involved and possibly look at raised beds for people who maybe don’t want to commit to a full allotment.”

He added: “Ultimately, we want to the town council to run and administer them once Bolton Council gives the nod and we’re hoping to liaise with what’s left of the allotment committees.”

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Turning to the Blackrod pocket parks, found at Ridgeway and the Rose Garden, he said that he hoped this would help secure their futures.

Cllr Grant said: “First of all it protects them, because they’ve always been maintained by the community.

“They’re not huge spaces but you could fit houses there so it’s important that these parks are protected.

“It’s important because these little parks are just little bits of respite for people in the community.”