An abandoned former health centre could be set to be transformed into a nursery.
The old Little Lever Health Centre on Mytham Road has stood empty since services were moved out to the new purpose built £5m health centre and library on Market Street.
A plan had already been given the green light to turn the old site into a special school but now another bid has been lodged to turn it instead into a nursery.
Cllr Liam Barnard, of Little Lever, and Darcy Lever, said: “For me, I’m interested in what’s best for the area as a whole and we haven’t got enough special schools in Bolton in general so a new one would have been welcome.
“But we also haven’t got enough nursery places in Little Lever so something that provides more services for young children would certainly be helpful.”
He added: “So for me it's just a case of making sure that whether it's for a special school or a nursery that the site is used and that it's not allowed to fall into dereliction or disrepair.”
The health centre was moved into its new facility in June 2023 after work first got underway back in 2019.
Building work was finished and the site was opened in February 2022 but health services did not move into the new building until more than a year later.
The new surgery opened with 12 consultation rooms and will provide three GP surgeries and other medical support, including treatment for long-term conditions in the community.
In January this year, the council approved a plan to transform the old health centre into a special school for children who were on the autistic spectrum.
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But now a fresh plan put forward on behalf of the Tiddlywinks Nursery Group says that the special school use was “not implemented.”
The company, which runs a string of nurseries across North Manchester caring for around 700 children, has since bought the site and hopes to turn it into its latest nursery.
The bid to change the use of the building was put before the council on Tuesday, April 2.
The authority will aim to decide whether or not to approve the plan by Tuesday, May 28.
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