A ROSSENDALE company has acquired 13.5 acres of land and the former Beloit Walmsley Research and Development buildings in The Valley, Bolton.

The buildings, which are off Union Road, were not required by the new American owners when the famous Crompton Way company became Sandusky Walmsley Ltd this year.

Brother Developments Ltd, a sister company of building contractors and property developers B & E Boys Ltd, is the new owner.

Mr John Boys, one of the directors, said today that it was planned to sub-divide the 52,000 sq ft of space in the R & D building into six or eight industrial units, which would provide jobs for at least 50 people.

It was hoped the conversion work would be completed by the end of 2001.

The 13.5 acres of land includes former football pitches which have not been used for some time.

The 300ft cooling tower for the Back o'th' Bank power station -- demolished in June, 1982 -- occupied part of the site. The illustrations with this story show it falling.

Mr Boys said they hoped to provide new buildings for industrial use and expected to submit a planning application in 2001/2002 after completing the R & D building project.

He said they were a family business established in 1961. "This is our first venture into Bolton," he said.

GVA Grimley and Paul Nolan & Co will be joint agents for the site.