The 348-space multi-storey car park plans which would alter views across Wigan town centre
Wigan planners are to consider changes to later phases of the Fettlers complex which would increase parking but reduce the number of homes there
A 368-space car park is set for Wigan town centre as plans for the huge Fettlers development are changed.
Wigan’s planning committee was this week set to decide on a change of direction for the scheme with parking plans at the site reconfigured and the residential aspect of the project cut back with two blocks containing 85 flats taken out of the proposals.
Early phases of work on the former Galleries shopping centre site has seen a replacement market hall built which is set to open in 2027.
Work is also ongoing on The Hampton by Hilton Wigan, a new 144-bedroom, six-storey hotel being built as a key part of the mixed-use regeneration project.
Amended plans to go before the council’s planning committee describe changes to the approved scheme.
The principal changed feature would be a “mobility hub” building containing up to 348 car parking spaces 1,000m sq of commercial floorspace and up to 10 homes.
The car park plan would reduce the amount of residential development to be delivered across the site by 85 homes due to removal of blocks D and E of the project.
The height of the parking block as opposed to the previously agreed apartment blocks would rise from 24m to 25m.
Wigan council has published CGI visualisations of how the mobility hub would be seen from various vantage points in the town centre with the structure set to be visible from the centre of Mesnes Park.
A planning report to be put before the committee said: “The amendments are required to ensure that a maximum of 455 car parking spaces is provided as part of the overall scheme, in accordance with what was originally approved.
“This will be provided through a combination of spaces within the basement, the mobility hub, and spaces within the podium of residential Blocks A-C and F-J.
“A total of 85 residential units have been removed from the scheme to accommodate the mobility hub.
“The revised scheme could therefore deliver a maximum of 398 residential units across the whole site, and 1,000 sqm of commercial floorspace within the outline element as per the consented development.”
The amended plans request infilling of some of the basement area of the site, which was previously earmarked for car parking.
Wigan Civic Trust have objected to the proposals.
Its submission said: “The basement area under this part of the site was used for deliveries to the Galleries and market.
“I do not understand why this area needs to be infilled when it could be perfectly well be used for parking.
“Entrances, exits could be accessed from Market Street and Mesnes Street.
“We keep being told that we need housing so why get rid of residential units blocks.?”
The trust also said he provision of 21 EV charging spaces (6 per cent) seems “woefully inadequate with the increasing sale of electric vehicles.”
The planning report said that detailed designs for the mobility hub would follow at a later date.
It added: “So at this stage members are only being asked to assess the overall parameters of the hub in terms of position, massing and relationship to surrounding development and the wider town centre.
“The application does not seek approval of any aspect of detailed design.”