HUNDREDS of jobs could be created in a move to breathe new life into Bolton's historic mills.

Bolton Council is about to assess 108 mills across the borough.

The council plans to look at every mill in Bolton by March 2008, starting with a pilot scheme looking at six mills in the Great Lever area.

The council hopes new businesess will be attracted to take up empty spaces in the mills which would fuel a jobs boom.

Although 72 per cent of mills in the area are in industrial, storage or warehouse use, almost half of the floorspace remains unoccupied.

Cllr Ebrahim Adia, Bolton Council's executive member for development, said: "It's hard to know how many jobs have been lost at our former mill buildings but it's fair to say this project could create hundreds of new ones.

"Manufacturing jobs are being lost so we have to look towards the likes of high quality service and science and technology industries."

Over the last 10 years, 20 Bolton mills have been demolished or converted into homes. The council aims to identify mills worth saving and help their owners to promote them and bring them up to standard.

It is hoping to receive £1m in investment funds over the next three years as part of a bid to the Government Office North West, with a decision due by February.

John Oliver, owner of mills at the Swan Centre on Higher Swan Lane, is taking part in the pilot project.

Mr Oliver said: "I think it's a great idea to get Bolton's mills back into use because some of them are in quite a state of disrepair.

"The council's help could be really useful and I also think owners could learn a lot from one another."

The pilot scheme includes another mill on Higher Swan Lane, mills at the Burnden Bleachworks and Hartford Tannery, and the Moor Mill/Haslam Mill.