1800-home Wigan regeneration plan reaches new milestone

A milestone has been reached in a plan to transform brownfield land near Wigan into a residential scheme comprising 1,800 new homes.

The North Leigh Park development took a step forward this week with the submission and registration of a reserved matters application for phase one of the scheme.

If approved, the first phase will see 162 homes built off Nel Pan Lane.

The wider proposal, representing a partnership between North Leigh Park Group Limited (NLPGL) and Wigan Council, will see inward investment of £310m turn former industrial land into 1,800 new homes and over 538,000 sq ft of employment space.

Wigan Council leader Lord Peter Smith said: “It is great news that the first detailed step to deliver the North Leigh site has been made.

“The North Leigh Park scheme is of strategic importance to Wigan Borough in delivering the quantity and quality of housing that our residents will desperately need in the coming years.”

He continued: “The major investment into the area will significantly boost Wigan Borough’s economy and deliver a huge number of jobs not only in the construction of the scheme but also in the employment sites that are part of the scheme

“Our vision, which is set out in our Economic Prospectus launched last year, is to create 10k new jobs over the next decade and the regeneration of North Leigh is crucial to us achieving that goal.”

The brownfield site chosen for North Leigh Park is dotted with open cast quarries, landfills, colliery spoil waste tips, former sewage treatment works and over 30 mine shafts. NLPGL’s remediation work on the land is forecast to take between 18 and 24 months.

NLPGL spokesman Paul Jarvis commented: “We are delighted that the reserved matters application for the first phase has been registered.

“It is a very positive step in the delivery of this very important regeneration.”

He added: “There is no doubt that the regeneration and remediation of North Leigh Park will deliver a massive economic stimulus to Leigh and Hindley, providing new quality housing, high quality business premises, safe managed public open space and wildlife corridors to meet the needs of the present and future generations that live and work in the local area.”

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