IN reply to P Johnson's letter of January 10, 'Council has no control on some decisions'.

There are a few reasons Middlebrook is becoming the new town centre and why I think the cost of Corporation Street is going to far exceed £100m.

1. Free parking at Middlebrook - obviously people will choose this option.

2. There is actually a cinema that you would naturally associate with a town centre.

3. Most facilities and shops are shiny new and a variety of choice.

4. Football club

5. Spirit of Sport - the sculpture that should be in a town centre.

6. There is a swimming pool not far away, also that you would associate with a town centre.

I fear also that any development of Corporation Street will far exceed its £100m tag. The council, want to build outside eating and entertainment areas, and riverside walkways.

I recently wrote to the council and asked, 'How do they plan on doing such things on what is an open, smelly sewer, the River Croal?' I questioned the logistics of such a task, and that the clean-up of the river would almost definitely eat up most of the £100m.

Guess what - they dodged the questions totally and havent even replied. So much for listening to people ...

Gary Yates

Chorley Street

Bolton