More family, magistrates and county courts across the North West are to be sold off under government plans.
Court buildings in Bolton, Oldham, Tameside and Warrington could be disposed of by HM Courts & Tribunals Service.
Trafford Magistrates Court, Bury Magistrates Court and Stockport Magistrates Court are also under threat of closure.
Courts Minister Shailesh Vara says the courts under consideration are only used 33% of the time and are constantly under capacity.
Despite criticism that the sell-off would put more, not less, pressure on magistrates, lengthen waiting times for court cases, and put local justice out of the hands of local people, the government say: “Over 95% of citizens will be able to reach their required court within an hour by car. The proportion of citizens able to reach a tribunal within an hour by car will remain unchanged at 83%.
Salford Magistrates Court at Bexley Square was closed by the government in December 2011, ending 171 years of local justice.
It was designed by Richard Lane and opened as a market hall in 1825, becoming Salford’s administrative centre in 1835 and converting to a magistrates court in 1840
An exclusive four-part video series shot inside the court buildings gave rare and unprecedented access to SalfordOnline.com reporters.
Hidden treasures discovered in the labyrinthine tunnels include court ledgers dating back to 1878 detailing every crime recorded by magistrates, stone busts of forgotten dignitaries including Salford’s first MP Joseph Brotherton, ornate emerald green art nouveau tiled staircases and stunning stained-glass windows depicting a history of Salford along with a 1930 artwork detailing grandiose plans to rebuild the hall.
The grand former city Town Hall was bought for around £800,000 by Liverpool-based developers X1 to turn it into 122 luxury flats.
Shailesh Vara said: “We are reforming the courts and tribunal service so that it meets the needs of modern day users.
“Access to justice is not just about attending court. As we bring in digital technology for better and more efficient access to justice, fewer people will need to physically be in a court.
“This means that we will need fewer buildings, and with many already underused and in poor quality, now is a good time to review the estate.”
