Former Wigan Council building to be converted into apartments

A former council building will be turned into flats after planning permission was granted to developers.

Gateway House, in Standishgate, will be converted into eight apartments. The four storey block will be refurbished and converted into two-bedroom apartments, with two per floor.

The building was home to Wigan Council’s education department until it relocated to the Wigan Life Centre in 2012. The site was first put up for sale in 2011 as hard-pressed council bosses struggled to balance the books.

It lies in the Dicconson Conservation Area and was formerly occupied by the Convent of Notre Dame and its school house, the Notre Dame High School for Girls.

Gateway House has been the subject of several planning applications over the years. Most recently, in 2018, proposals were submitted to demolish the building and replace it with an assisted living complex for elderly people with dementia. That application was approved by the council, but did not come to fruition.

A planning officer reported favourably on the plans, writing: “The site is located within a town centre location with good existing cycle parking provision.

“The site is within a sustainable location which is served by various bus services, in which all amenities are within walking distance.

“The location benefits from a very good level of accessibility and is well located to encourage trips by non-car modes and benefits from excellent public transport links and provides easily to existing bus and train services, which are a short walk from the site.”

A number of conditions must be met before development on the project can begin. These include: the implementation of eight secure cycle storage bays, a detailed plan for refuse storage, and a minimum of one electric vehicle smart charging point shall be provided for the purpose of electric vehicle charging for the site.

No objections were submitted by residents, though one neighbour did suggest: “Planning permission should be withheld until a broken sewer pipe leaking into the adjacent property (St John’s churchyard) is repaired.

Full details can be viewed at planning.wigan.gov.uk using the code A/21/91263/PDO.

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