New homes rising from site of bakery

DOZENS of new homes will soon begin to emerge on land once occupied by a famous Wigan bakery.
Location shot of large open land at back of Warrington Road and Atherton Street, Wigan, near Saddle JunctionLocation shot of large open land at back of Warrington Road and Atherton Street, Wigan, near Saddle Junction
Location shot of large open land at back of Warrington Road and Atherton Street, Wigan, near Saddle Junction

The terrain has been flattened, fencing erected and a sales office taken up temporary residence as work starts on the construction of 72 houses on the site of the old Rathbone’s plant off Warrington Road, Newtown.

Parking spaces and landscaping will also be created in the major Stanley Park project from Manchester-based Gleeson Homes.

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The site will be accessed from Winstanley Street, Warrington Road and Atherton Street, the last of which is the short road which takes visitors to businesses on Gower Street back onto the main road.

In their submissions to the council back in 2014, Gleeson Homes design experts said they had created their layout plans to minimise crime on the new estate.

A report titled Security Through Design reads: “Crime levels to the front of houses which are well overlooked and monitored by the street are low because doors, windows and vehicles and therefore potential intruders are easily observed and monitored by neighbours.

“The layout will create small, safe and quiet mini-communities where a stranger would be noticed.

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“And this will naturally create a sense of community, ownership and responsibility and an environment that a burglar is least likely to operate in.

“It will promote good social behaviour which in turn encourages self policing of a neighbourhood.”

The application was subsequently approved by the local authority.

The future of the site was subject to speculation during a year-long consultation before the bakery was eventually closed in June 2013 with the loss of 160 jobs despite intervention from Wigan’s MP Lisa Nandy.

A majority of the 72 houses will be three-bedroom semi-detached properties with a dozen detached, ranging from estimated prices of £90,000 to £151,000.