‘Small, low impact developments’ for single people hailed as 13,000 queue up for social housing in Wigan

Coun Fred Walker was speaking after the town’s planning committee approved two developments of six and eight affordable apartments for single people, respectively, on small parcels of council-owned land.

“These small, low-impact developments around the borough are filling the need that private developers are not doing,” he said. “They are all the more important for people needing to down-size or live individually.”

The committee gave the go-ahead to an application from its own council for a development of six apartments on land left vacant following the demolition of garages 15 years ago at Elizabethan Court in Tyldesley.

The site is near the Pelican Centre gym and pool – a charity – and Enzos Italian Restaurant and is currently used for “informal” parking.

Approval was granted despite objections from Leigh MP James Grundy and the business manager of the Pelican Centre, Natalia Stothard, who spoke at the committee.

She said the casual parking was needed because there are 10 local schools and three nurseries, in addition to 1,000 gym members, visiting the centre regularly.

“Some 800 children have swimming lessons and we accommodate 100 dancers aged four and upwards,” she said.

“We are worried as to how we will survive with a further reduction in parking.”

David Smith, speaking for applicant Wigan Council, said the affordable apartments would be owned and managed by the local authority.

“There are currently 13,000 people on the council housing waiting list and there are 1,936 people in temporary accommodation. There is an urgent housing need to provide affordable homes for between six and 12 people here.”

The committee also passed plans for eight apartments in two blocks of four flats each on two sites in Orrell – one on Heysham Road and another on City Road.

Mr Smith said of the application: “The council has a responsibility to review its land holdings. There has been anti-social behaviour at the Heysham Road site over time. The current use of the land provides little public benefit.”