BOLTON'S new look multi-million magistrates court looks set to stay in Le Mans Crescent, the Bolton Evening News can reveal.

Funding for a new building elsewhere or a complete refurbishment of the existing courthouse was agreed after a closure plan was attacked by 21,000 Bolton Evening News readers.

Exact costs and any possible new location are now under examination and the new courthouse is expected to be ready by 2006.

But council leaders want the magistrates to stay put and to expand into the existing police station next door. And they are confident the public will agree. The police are moving to new headquarters off Manchester Road in Burnden next year.

Council leader Councillor Bob Howarth said: "Together it would make a very fine rebuilt magistrates court.

"The inside could be totally refurbished quite easily, even though the outside is protected."

Bolton Council own all the buildings on Le Mans Crescent, which is also home to the town hall. The courthouse is a Grade II listed building.

Even though a sale for commercial use could see a multi-million pound price tag -- the council says it would never sell.

It had been suggested by a member of the Greater Manchester Magistrates Courts Committee that the building could be used for town centre wine bars or other attractions.

But Cllr Howarth said there is no way that would happen.

He added: "It is the finest civic centre in the North West and we do not wish to see that sort of use quite frankly. We will press our case for the reconstruction."

Executive councillor and ex magistrates bench chairman Frank White slammed the closure plans as sheer accountancy gone mad -- and said the courts should stay put.

He said: "We must keep an open mind but this is the preferred option. We could even extend the building to the rear of the crescent. There would be separate entrances , provision for wardens, other staff, witnesses and the disabled."

The battle to keep the magistrates courts in Bolton, which involved town hall chiefs magistrates and MPs, was won yesterday.

FACTFILE

Building's intriguing history

The buildings in Le Mans Crescent, Bolton, which include the magistrates court are regarded as one of the country's finest civic centres.

The setting has been used in several films and it would be easy to imagine a horse drawn carriage appearing out of the mists on a Victorian morning.

But it was actually built in 1931 when it was decided that the town hall needed extending. The £920,000 Crescent was built to house the museum, police station and magistrates court.

The work provided eight years of employment for 800 families during the Depression and was finally opened in 1939 by the Earl of Derby.

Le Mans Crescent is named after Bolton's twin town in France.

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