Mixed reaction over plans to create more than 150 homes in Wigan village

People have provided a mixed reaction as a plan was revealed to create more than 150 homes in a Wigan village.

The vast project, which wholly includes affordable properties, would see up to 155 homes built on a brownfield site off Bradley Lane, formerly part of Bradley Hall Trading Estate, Standish.

The area of the industrial estate was flattened after a plan for 148 homes was agreed by Wigan Council in 2014.

A renewed application for 163 homes was submitted and approved in 2018 which was not acted upon.

Now the plan for the brownfield site is for all affordable flats and houses, with six bungalows, either for sale or rent – through Torus, the region’s largest provider of affordable homes. If the plan is passed, the homes will be built on the site with grant funding of £5.5m from Homes England.

After the plans came to light, the village’s neighbourhood forum Standish Voice said they welcomed the provision of affordable homes, but said they would have wanted employment use to return to the site.

In the past the residents’ group has objected to earlier schemes where only 25 per cent of the homes were affordable, but now 100 per cent of the homes will be classed as this.

A spokesman for the group said: “When planning permission was first granted by Wigan Council for this site more than five years ago, it was a huge blow to the economy of the village. Half of its industrial estate was flattened and businesses lost.

“We would have wanted employment use to return to this site but, if that is not possible, the provision of 100% affordable homes is much better than the market priced ones that have been proposed in the past.

“Some people are being priced out of Standish, despite the large number of homes being built here, and a development such as this will mitigate that.”

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here and viewing our offers ...