Town hall and library could be given listed status by Historic England

Liberal Democrat councillors Arthur Price, Alison Jackson and Gillian Wroe outside Westhoughton Town Hall

Westhoughton Town Hall and Library could be given listed status after Historic England were asked to make a recommendation to the Government.

Historic England carried out an inspection of the buildings on 20 June and are set to make a recommendation to the Secretary of State about the potential for the buildings to be listed as being of special architectural or historic interest.

The organisation has published its findings and has asked Westhoughton Town Council to provide comments in the next 21 days. The town council is set to discuss the issue at its next meeting on 14 August.

It comes just days after Westhoughton North Liberal Democrat Councillor Arthur Price quizzed Bolton Council leaders at a meeting on 26 July about the future of the town hall.

Bolton Council is considering the next steps in plans to refurbish the Town Hall and Carnegie Hall, but it confirmed that previous controversial plans to alter the original windows had now been dropped.

The Heritage England report says that the Town Hall and Library are architecturally significant examples of Mannerist Renaissance style. The Town Hall's clock tower, entrance bay, and the Library's central entrance pediment are noteworthy design elements. The buildings have played roles in the local community, with the Town Hall serving as council offices and the Library being a significant example of a Carnegie library. The report emphasises their historical and architectural importance within Westhoughton's heritage.

Councillor Price said: “This report has come at a critical time and will come as a huge relief to Westhoughton residents because it clearly shows the architectural and cultural importance of both the town hall and library. People were very worried about the previous Conservative administration’s plans to alter the windows. I pressed the council on this matter and I’m pleased that we’ve now resolved that this won’t happen.”