BOLTON'S new magistrates building could feature 10 courtrooms as part of a multi-million pound scheme to revitalise local justice in the borough.

It has been revealed that a final decision to build a modern courthouse on a different site - or revamp the existing 66-year-old town centre building - is likely to be reached by October.

A business plan for the court in Le Mans Crescent is due to be sent shortly to the Department for Constitutional Affairs before it goes out to bidders. All options remain open, with a one-storey to a five-storey building possible.

Neil Milligan, director of corporate services at Greater Manchester Courts Committee, said: "We need a bidder who best meets our needs. It all depends on when we go to the marketplace.

Court bosses have been working on the Private Finance Initiative scheme for the last two years.

Two years ago, plans to close Bolton magistrates court were scrapped after fierce opposition.

The Grade II listed building was saved after an unpopular recommendation to transfer Bolton court cases to Bury and surrounding towns was shelved following a year-long battle.

If a decision is made to locate the magistrates court elsewhere in the town, the onus will be on Bolton Council to find a suitable location. Cheadle Square is one location that could be considered.

Mr Milligan dismissed suggestions that a decreasing number of prosecutions in Bolton could again support an argument for moving the magistrates court away from the town.

"Some of the workload may have decreased, but if it has slipped it is only by a few percentage points," he said.

"Prosecutions go up and down throughout the year. The whole process is cyclical and we are planning 25 to 30 years into the future.

"It's full steam ahead for the project. We've been working on this scheme for two years and nothing has changed since day one."