ATHERTON is bidding to go up-market.

A scheme is being drawn-up to enhance the town centre Market Place Conservation Area around the Parish Church.

Property upgrades boosting image and trade could be underway by the year 2000 as planning chiefs prepare funding applications.

They are chasing English Heritage cash of up to £100,000 per annum for three years.

And that figure could be boosted to near the magic million mark with matched funding from the Single Regeneration Budget number 5 scheme (subject to approval) and the Transport Policies and Programme settlement.

The TPP money would be made available for environmental improvements as part of the Leigh-Bolton Quality Bus Corridor proposals for Atherton Town Centre.

Public consultation will take place in September on the bus route suggestions.

Wigan Borough Planning Officer, the planning committee chairman and his deputy will prepare the preliminary bid by the end of the month and, if successful, the implementation plan by next January.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.