Build to Rent provider Placefirst breaks ground at Central Street – its new £35m single-family Build to Rent neighbourhood in Bolton town centre – located opposite the former Beales department store and extending to the river Croal. To mark the milestone, key members of the Placefirst project team were joined by the Leader of Bolton Council at the site.
Placefirst has worked alongside award winning architects Levitt Bernstein and landscape architects CW Studio to design a scheme which will transform the 1.1-hectare brownfield site – previously occupied by vacant buildings and a car park – into a vibrant new neighbourhood with communal green areas and pedestrian-led spaces. The Central Street neighbourhood has been designed around a network of pedestrian priority streets, a spacious square and courtyards.
Caddick Construction have been appointed as Placefirst’s construction partner for the first phase of works at Central Street. The design process has been supported by engineers Alan Johnston Partnership, quantity surveyors Walker Sime, project managers Mackie Project Consultants, and monitoring and evaluation consultants Hoare Lea. The legal team for the scheme is Gunnercooke and Hill Dickinson.
“There is huge demand for high quality new homes and Placefirst is leading the region by bringing to market this exciting new development, transforming brownfield land into a vibrant hub for Bolton. We are very proud to have been selected as Placefirst’s construction partner for the first phase of works and we look forward to helping to deliver these exceptional new homes for local families and the wider community.”
Ian Threadgold, Managing Director of Caddick Construction in the North West
The new development will deliver 167 high quality, sustainable single-family Build to Rent homes – a mix of apartments and townhouses. It will also include a range of ground floor units to expand the amount of commercial space available to local businesses.
Placemaking and social value is showcased through Placefirst’s commitment to repurposing the Central Street brownfield site into much needed high-quality rental homes with good public realm – as well as features including rooftop terraces and resident gardens. Located in the town centre, the site is well connected and within walking distance of the River Croal and Queen’s Park, and suburbs across Bolton. The surrounding areas are easily accessible from the nearby bus interchange and train station.
“We are delighted to commence work on this key regeneration project in the heart of Bolton town centre. This will be a significant development delivering 167 high-quality, energy-efficient homes, built specifically for the private rental market.
“Addressing the shortage of high quality available rental housing is a key part of Bolton Council’s masterplan and we are proud to be part of this, creating a new community that will have a positive impact on the local area and local economy. We look forward to bringing this new neighbourhood to life.”
Darran Lawless, Development Director, Placefirst
The Central Street development is part of Bolton Council’s £1bn masterplan to transform the town centre by complementing the historic fabric of central Bolton through a mix of interesting, high-quality buildings and well-thought-out public spaces.
Once complete, Placefirst will remain on site and be responsible for every aspect of the Central Street neighbourhood. Each Placefirst development has a dedicated resident services manager and residents are guaranteed a fully maintained, high-quality home for as long as they like.
“Central Street is a perfect example of what we are delivering through our town centre masterplan. Without the intervention of the council, this area would have remained an underused brownfield site. But by working with our partners at Placefirst it will become a new neighbourhood of high-quality homes that will attract people into the centre and make it a more vibrant and attractive place. This is an exciting time for Bolton town centre as work is now underway at a number of key sites, with more projects to come later in the year.”
Cllr Martyn Cox, Bolton Council Leader
Placefirst’s work at Central Street builds on its strong track record of creating thriving communities in the north west of England, which includes the iconic Welsh Streets in Liverpool where Placefirst submitted planning for the final phase of the scheme in 2022, and the Elevate Build to Rent scheme in Manchester which completed last year.
