Wigan councillor calls for plans for huge manufacturing and logistics site in Haydock to be rejected

A Wigan councillor has written to the leader of a neighbouring local authority urging him to reject plans for a huge manufacturing and logistics site.

Peel Land submitted an outline planning application to St Helens Council earlier this month for a 1.3m sq ft development at Haydock Point, which it says would support around 1,845 jobs and contribute more than £110m to the local economy.

The scheme includes changes to junction 23 of the M6 and re-directing the northern arm of the A49 through the development site to the A580 East Lancashire Road.

But Wigan councillor Danny Fletcher, who represents Ashton-in-Makerfield south, said he had spoken to “countless residents” who were “deeply worried” about the plans.

He has written to Coun George Woodward, leader of St Helens Council, to highlight their concerns and ask him to reject the planning application.

Coun Fletcher wrote: “Their concerns are not just about planning policy or traffic. They are about losing part of the area they call home, seeing valuable green space disappear and being forced to accept changes to the A49 that will affect everyday journeys for years to come.

“The proposed closure and diversion of the A49 access into Haydock island is of particular concern. For many residents this is a route they have used their entire lives. They cannot understand why a well used and important connection should be sacrificed to accommodate a development that so many local people neither want nor support.”

Coun Fletcher said the situation was made “even more difficult” for residents because they were “promised” that green spaces would be protected, as the council pledged to protect open spaces and green belt after declaring a “green spaces emergency” in July.

He wrote: “Many local residents now see Haydock Point as a test of that promise. I believe the strength of local opposition speaks for itself. Residents have made their views known clearly. They are asking for their community, their green spaces and their road network to be protected.

“I urge you to stand with local people and refuse this application. Doing so would send a clear message that voices of local communities will always come before the interests of developers.”

Coun Woodward has not yet responded to Coun Fletcher’s letter and did not reply to our request for a comment.

A consultation on the planning application is currently open, with residents able to have their say, and St Helens Council expects to make a decision on the scheme by early February.

Matthew Stafford, associate director for Peel Land, said: “Our outline planning application for Haydock Point, a strategic employment destination, is submitted to St Helens Council for its determination.

“The site is not in the green belt and is safeguarded for future employment use in the Local Plan (adopted 2022). The proposal will meet the need for modern employment space in the borough and bring forward critically needed improvements to the Haydock island junction for all users.

“The plans represent a significant investment opportunity for the growth of the region and importantly opportunities for local communities by enabling nearby firms to grow, and create long-awaited employment opportunities.”