Flats plan for former Wigan pub

The town hall has received a bid from developers who want to transform the former Red Cat in Leigh Road, Hindley Green into new apartments.

The property was converted from a pub into a single house in 2015.

If approved, the building will be converted to accommodate 10 one-bedroom apartments, while a new building would be erected to the rear of providing a further 12 apartments, which will be six one-bed and six two-bed living spaces.

The apartments will be a mix of for sale/to rent on the open market.

The premises lie close to a large development, which has first phase planning permission for around 1,800 houses and several commercial properties, which will be called North Leigh Park once completed.

The application reads: “At present the application site does not feature any landscaping. The proposed development will formalise the use of the land to the rear of the existing building, by providing carefully designed car parking and an area of amenity space.

"This space will be a visual improvement on the current overgrown and neglected outlook of the application site. Space is also proposed to accommodate refuse storage.

“The existing site, being vacant and overgrown to the rear could be seen as a magnet for crime and anti-social behaviour, through the re-use and redevelopment of the site for residential purposes, the perception or fear of crime could be reduced as a result of the site’s formal redevelopment.”

It also said: “The proposals can be delivered without having an adverse effect on the landscape or surrounding environment or ecological interests.” Despite support from the council for the plans, residents appear to have mixed views.

One resident on Wigan Council’s website, said: “I have the garden to the left and strongly object to these proposals due to the reasons stated below:

Loss of light or overshadowing, overlooking/loss of privacy, lay-out and density of building, visual amenity, noise and disturbance resulting from use.”

Details can be viewed at planning.wigan.gov.uk using the code A/19/87804/MAJOR