A towering 280ft Victorian chimney in Bolton could soon be transformed into one of Britain's most unusual family homes – complete with a rooftop garden, glass lift and sweeping views across the Pennines.
The Grade II-listed Barrow Bridge Chimney, once part of the town's Halliwell Bleach Works, is up for auction with a guide price of £300,000 and planning permission already in place for a spectacular conversion.
The landmark, built in 1863, is one of Bolton's best-known sights and even has a brush with TV history – steeplejack legend Fred Dibnah famously scaled it as a teenager after accepting a 10-shilling bet.
Designs show how the enormous brick structure could be wrapped in a futuristic, glass-walled octagonal home perched 60ft above the ground.
Plans include a three or four-bedroom residence with sloping glazed walls, steel frames and nearly 4,000 sq ft of living space.
