Former home of the Wigan Observer will now have offices included in upgrade

The Observer building, located in Rowbottom Square, will see its cellars turned into four office units after it was previously used as cycle storage for the apartments above.

The mid-19th century three floor building was previously occupied by the newspaper before it moved to new premises in the 1970s.

Developer Neil Pike Architects is hoping this will bring more job opportunities to the area.

“The application relates to the basement level of the building,” a planning report said. “It is proposed to subdivide the basement into four office units.

“Cycle storage for the upper floor apartments will also be retained within the basement. Internal access into the basement is possible from ground floor level directly off two existing staircases within the building.

“External access into the building is existing from street level. No external changes to the building are proposed.”

Steven Haigh, of Neil Pike Architects, was also the developer behind the building’s overhaul which got the green light last year.

With £600,000 in funding from Blackfinch Property, he was granted permission to build 18 one-bed apartments within the site that still recognises the newspaper’s presence from the past.