Green light for full £250m Wigan Cotton Works site
Full planning approval has been granted for one of the most ambitious development projects ever to take place in Wigan.
And the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, was taken on a tour of the soon-to-be finished first phase of it today (Monday January 27) and gave it his full backing, saying his team would do “everything we can to ensure it fulfils its potential.”
Over the next five to six years, Wigan-based Heaton Group hopes to breathe new life into the whole, 17-acre former Eckersley’s Mills site near Wigan Pier, now called The Cotton Works.
Mill One, which will comprise a food hall, pub and office space topped by a rooftop bar and co-working area, is only months away from completion.
Planning permission to turn Mill Three (the building nearest to Pool Street) into apartments was granted some time ago, although such has been the success of attracting business tenants to Mill One, that this second gigantic building too will be given over to commerce.
But that’s not to say people still won't be living on the site. The overall masterplan site, now approved by the local authority, will include a total of 817 new build apartments, plus a hotel, shops, a new home for the roller rink, and multi-storey car park.
Sadly Mill Two, in some ways the most attractive of the three main buildings, will have to be demolished because it is beyond salvaging, its roof having collapsed and its basement filled with water.
However there was huge excitement as VIPs, including Mr Burnham and council chiefs, toured Mill One and gazed at the Wigan panorama from its rooftop walkways.
The main issue now is to land funding for phases two to 10.
Heaton Group managing director John Heaton said that several sources were being explored and it would be preferable if money for the whole project could be secured at once.
Certainly Mr Burnham was impressed. He said: “This is another fantastic example of how we're turbocharging growth in Greater Manchester using the brownfield sites already available.
"Securing full planning permission for this significantly large brownfield site is not just about reclaiming land: it's about unlocking the potential for new homes, jobs, and economic growth that will benefit our communities for generations to come.
"It is exciting to be here for the beginning of a transformational development in Wigan.
"I live in Wigan and I am proud to do so. It's a great place to live already but with projects like this in the pipeline it could be even better.
"We will do everything we can to make sure this project fulfils its potential to the full.
"There is a level of growth in the city-region which is higher than other parts of the country. Places that have perhaps struggled in the past suddenly have a new lease of life and that includes Wigan. It now needs people all to be pulling in the same direction.”
Mr Burnham said that the project chimed well with Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s wanting to see homes springing up in particular close to railway stations, as the Cotton Works is just a short walk from both Wigan North Western and Wallgate, the latter of which will be on the Bee Network within the next three years.
Coun leader David Molyeux said: “What is going to be delivered here is tremendously exciting.
"These buildings are our heritage but they are also our future. This is precisely what we should be doing with brownfield sites, not least building more homes.”
Mr Heaton’s vision is for a pioneering “10-minute community” offering residents, workers and visitors the ability to meet most of their everyday needs within a 10-minute walk of public transport, shops and childcare to restaurants, doctors and green spaces.
He said: “It’s not only great news for the team who have worked incredibly hard for three years to get to this stage, but for the whole of Wigan.
"We’re already employing hundreds of tradespeople as a result of this decision, and those numbers are going to grow with the approval to begin work on future phases of the site and open new venues, offices and leisure spaces.
"“We’re so proud of our heritage and we’re honoured to be able to restore these valuable cultural assets and bring them into the 21st century.
"As a sign of our long-term commitment to continued regeneration of the area, we are consolidating our business in Wigan and Heaton Group will relocate to Mill One in summer.
“Wigan is exceptionally well connected to the rest of Greater Manchester and beyond, and with ground-breaking redevelopment works under way at Cotton Works and in the town centre, employers are really starting to see its potential as a destination to attract the best talent.
"We are incredibly excited about the quality of the build and the facilities that will be delivered and even prouder to be doing all of this in my hometown.
"Wigan Council shares our vision and everyone we speak to in the town wants us to succeed.
"The original plan was to turn Mill Three into apartments, but there has been so much interest from businesses for Mill One that we now plan to put it to commercial use, especially as we have permission to create 817 new-build apartments on site.
"When a lot of developers get a site like this they do the new-build first, but we have decided to tackle the tough projects first: the existing mills. So, if funding is secured, things could accelerate.”
The £25m Mill One will soon contain on the ground floor a market-leading food hall featuring six independent kitchens, an all-day café, two bars, and a stage set to host a vibrant schedule of live music and entertainment.
With ample outdoor seating, it will also offer the perfect setting for alfresco dining. Adjacent to the food hall, a new pub will serve the finest local craft beers.
The upper three floors of the mill will be home to Grade A office spaces, including Heaton Group’s own headquarters.
With only one floor remaining available to let, following exceptional uptake from prominent businesses in the area, Cotton Works aims to be instrumental in attracting and retaining talent within Wigan.
The new glass and steel rooftop extension, with views for miles around, will house Wigan’s premier co-working space alongside a stunning rooftop bar: the first of its kind in the area.
In front of the mill, a vast outdoor plaza will offer beautifully landscaped green spaces for relaxation, striking sculptures, and a "town square" designed for artisan markets, outdoor cinema screenings, and concerts.
The Heaton Group has already delivered a taste of what’s to come with the award-winning Feast at The Mills, a street food and entertainment destination that loyal customers are already proudly enjoying.