MULTI-MILLION pound plans to transform rundown areas of Bolton have been given the green light.

The Government has approved first year proposals for a scheme to breathe new life into the Deane, Derby and Daubhill areas.

In total, the council will receive £12 million over three years from the Department of the Environment's single regeneration budget. But the private sector is also expected to invest a further £50 million into the area.

The idea is to give help to businesses to expand, provide training, improve education opportunities and the environment and the health of people in the area.

A forum has been set up to run the scheme made up of Bolton Council chiefs, Bolton Health Authority, the Bolton Council for Voluntary Service and other local organisations. The budget for the first year will be just £800,000 for preparatory work, but the amount of money will rise sharply in the following years.

Forum chairman Labour Cllr Guy Harkin said: "We have 57 projects, ranging from leisure facilities and healthcare to new homes to be tackled over the next four years, all of them aimed at improving the quality of life for people." "Now that we've got the go ahead and the funds are going to be released, we can work out our priorities and get the year's programme for 1996-97.

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