THE man who changed the face of Bolton town centre has died aged 89.

Robert Ogden was the town's first planning director and, in the 1970s, was responsible for the redevelopment of the heart of the town.

The town centre precinct, whose creation he presided over, won a European Architectural Heritage Year award in 1975. He was also involved in the siting of the Octagon theatre and redevelopment schemes at Halliwell and Firwood Fold.

He retired in 1978 and four years later he and his wife, Eunice, moved to Winster, near Windermere, where he died earlier this month.

Former Bolton planning committee chairman Jack Foster worked with Mr Ogden, a father of two, for many years and described him as a great character.

"He was very charming and a little eccentric at times as he was a former military man," he said. "The growth of the town as we see today was started in those days."

Mr Ogden had served in the Survey Regiment of the Royal Artillery during the Second World War, becoming its commanding officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He wrote a book about the regiment in his retirement.

Mr Ogden came to Bolton in 1964 after spending six years as Bury's engineer and surveyor, being responsible for its town centre redevelopment. The Warrington-born grandfather's funeral was held in Winster last Friday.

, while his regiment was in Holland after his predecessor was accidentally shot in the foot when a fellow officer dropped a gun on the mess room floor