A TORY councillor has called for gates to go up around Bolton town centre in a bid to help it compete with new out-of-town develop- ments.

Cllr Stuart Lever claims Bolton will turn into a ghost town if urgent action is not done.

He said the town centre should look more like out-of-town shopping developments such as The Trafford Centre by enclosing it with gates around Victoria Square.

And free parking should also be offered.

Cllr Stuart Lever made his comments after fellow councillors last week gave the go-ahead for a multi-million pound out-of-town shopping scheme at Tonge Valley.

But head of Bolton planning and environment, Labour councillor Jack Foster, labelled his ideas "barmy" and accused him of not understanding Bolton Council's policy on free parking.

Cllr Lever urged Bolton planners to help shops to fight back, otherwise, he claimed, the town would lose shops.

He said: "They are being short sighted. You can see it starting now, you can see the shoots dying off.

"Shops are already turning into pubs and restaurants. Bolton town centre will just become a set of office blocks."

Last week councillors voted to approve the £35 million shopping and leisure development at the Valley Centertainment complex in Astley Bridge.

And Cllr Lever accused Bolton councillors, who have free car parking themselves, of being out of touch and running car parking just to make money.

He said: "Bolton Council are running it as a cash cow.

"I'm sure everyone would like to see free parking in town and would be willing for the money lost by the council to be made up some other way."

But Cllr Jack Foster, said: "Cllr Lever is coming into this debate a little late.

"We have already turned the shopping area of Bolton into a pedestrian precinct.

"It's something we started 20 years ago and it's paid dividends.

"The idea of putting gates up and fencing it off is barmy."

He said the car parking charges were used to stop town centre workers parking all day.

"We use it as a tool to promote the shopability of Bolton town centre," he said.

He also defended free parking for councillors, saying it was necessary for councillors to perform their duty.

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