Middlebrook is the largest integrated and sustainable employment, leisure, sports and retail scheme in the UK. The iconic Macron Stadium lies at its heart and the equally impressive Bolton Spirit of Sport sculpture is at the principal entrance to the development.

The idea of building a sports related complex in Bolton had been an ambition of Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council for many years but without private sector backing it would remain a only dream... When Bolton Wanderers Football Club were promoted to the English Premiership in 1993 they were faced with the task of either improving their old stadium at Burnden Park or relocating to a new stadium in order to meet the health and safety requirements of the Taylor Report. Feasibility studies showed that Burnden Park could not be converted or remodelled at a reasonable cost and therefore the decision was taken by Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council and Bolton Wanderers Football Club to move from their old stadium at Burnden Park and build a new state-of-the-art stadium at Middlebrook.

Completed in 1996 by Orbit Developments part of The Emerson Group it was a joint partnership with Bolton Wanderers and Bolton Council and has gone from strength to strength housing 62 high street names, restaurant and leisure facilities with over 12.5 Million people visiting each year.