THIS £8 million six-storey office block is to go up in the heart of Bolton town centre.

Developer Gordon Moon Properties will build the red brick and glass development on the site of the Pinewood Furniture Store in Bark Street which is expected to close in March.

The ground floor of the development will be given over to retail space together with an entrance and lobby area to serve the other five floors of office space

Planning bosses gave the go-ahead to the building last month despite fears that it would over-shadow the neighbouring Claremont Church.

The development, which will have 49,133 sq ft of space for both offices and shopping, will be built just yards from the site of the proposed £100 million development at Central Street.

Nigel Moon, of Gordon Moon Properties, believes it will be the first stage of the regeneration of the entire area.

He said: "This is the kind of development that will considerably lift the profile of Bolton as a competitive business location as it will provide a new standard of high quality accommodation for local organisations as well as those looking to relocate to the area.

"It is hoped it will lead the way for further development and become the catalyst for greater modernization of the commercial offer in Bolton."

The scheme will be managed by global property advisors CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) and designed by Aedas Architects.

CBRE director Michael Robinson said the group was talking to a number of interested parties about letting agreements for the office and retail space before building work begins.

He said: "This signifies a great move forward for Bolton in this market.

"It is the right product for the town at the right time.

But Brian Tetlow, chairman of the Bolton and District Civic Trust, said: "Architecture should be harmonious and I wouldn't have thought this site was right for a modern building."