Bolton Council has reiterated that completing the Rivington Chase spine road remains one of its highest regeneration priorities as efforts continue to secure the final land needed to finish the route linking Horwich and Middlebrook.
Why the road matters
The spine road is designed to connect Crown Lane through to Aspinall Way behind Middlebrook, improving access between Horwich Loco Works estate and Fettlers Way. The route is central to the wider masterplan for the former locomotive works site, where developers and the council envisage a large-scale transformation.
Council documents describe the scheme as delivering approximately 1,700 new homes together with mixed-use development, employment opportunities, community facilities and public open space. The road is intended to provide a new bus route and pedestrian and cycle-friendly paths and is credited with helping to address existing and future pressure on local roads.
Progress and delay
Although new homes and elements of infrastructure have already been completed across the site, the final section of the spine road has not been opened to the public. Council officers say progress has been held up by what they describe as "ongoing legal issues" connected to ownership of the remaining parcels of land required to finish the link.
"Rivington Chase remains one of Bolton Council's highest priority regeneration projects and represents one of the borough's most significant long-term investments," the council said in a statement.
Officials say recent negotiations with landowners have not produced terms that can be progressed, and while the preferred route is to agree land purchases, the council will consider all available options to facilitate completion.
- Transport benefits: new bus route and cycle/pedestrian paths intended to reduce traffic pressure.
- Housing delivery: spine road seen as key to unlocking up to hundreds of homes within the masterplan.
- Current obstacle: unresolved land ownership and legal matters over the final section of the route.
What it means locally
For drivers and commuters around Horwich and Middlebrook the link road is presented as a piece of infrastructure that would redistribute traffic flows and relieve congestion hotspots, particularly as the area absorbs new housing. For residents, the promise of a bus route and safe walking and cycling connections has been emphasised as part of creating a sustainable community around the former Horwich Loco Works.
However, with negotiations stalled, there is no firm timetable for when the missing stretch will be completed and opened. The council has indicated a continued commitment to securing the land and said it will pursue alternative options if agreements cannot be reached.
| Item | Figure/Status |
|---|---|
| Planned new homes across masterplan | Approximately 1,700 |
| Earlier estimate cited to be offset by link road | Up to 1,000 homes (previous reference) |
| Current obstacle | Unresolved land interests / legal issues |
Local councillors and residents will be watching for concrete moves on land acquisition or alternative delivery mechanisms. Completing the spine road is presented by the council as essential not just to enable house-building but to shape how future travel and neighbourhood life around Horwich and Middlebrook will function.
The council says it remains committed to securing the completion and opening of the road "as soon as practicably possible" and will continue discussions with landowners while considering all available options to move the project forward.
