THE site of Bolton Wanderers' former stadium is set to host a multi-million pound flagship development -- the first of its kind in the North-west --for retail giant Woolworths.

More than 250 jobs are likely to be created at the new store -- called Big W -- once the redevelopment of Burnden Park is complete.

It will become the shopping giant's first new concept store of its type to be built in the north of England and is one of only a handful currently being planned to be built in the UK.

And the Woolworth Group is expecting the development to act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the run-down former soccer stadium site.

It is expected that other big names will be attracted to the site and Grangefern Properties -- a combination of Orbit Developments, United Co-op and Normid -- are now looking to attract a tenant for a proposed petrol station.

The Burnden Park pitch -- now stripped of turf after Bolton Wanderers left for their new stadium at Middlebrook in 1997 -- will become a new car park and a space has been left vacant for a possible leisure complex.

Darren Jones, director of Orbit Developments, said: "This is very good news for us. We have always had a big presence in Bolton and we are committed to the regeneration of redundant sites here."

Big W will take up 84, 379 square feet of land, 64,000 of which will be dedicated retail space.

It will house a number of product lines ranging from electrical appliances to health and beauty along with all products found in Woolworths stores across one floor.

A Woolworth Group spokesman stressed the project would not affect the giant's existing town centre store on Deansgate.

He said: "This is fantastic news for ourselves and for Bolton not least because it will create a very large number of jobs.

"Big W is going to be very much an important part of our operation and we are hoping that by the end of 2001 we will have 20 such stores."

Previous speculation had predicted that Asda or Tesco would take up space on the site.

Developers and Bolton Council were keen for a big name to be signed in a bid to revamp an area plagued by vandals over the last few years.

The project is likely to be completed by summer 2001.

Mr Jones added: "This type of retail concept is new to the region and we are sure it will prove an exciting and successful development."

The plans became possible when councillors from Bolton Council's Planning and Highways Committee gave their official seal of approval to the scheme in August.