A listed former Wigan pub which dates from 18th century is to become a 52-child nursery
New life is to be breathed into an historic former Wigan watering hole after planning permission was granted to turn it into a nursery.
The Hesketh Arms, Shevington Moor is grade II listed.
Childcare company Beyond the Nest Standish has been granted planning permission to occupy the former pub which has been part-converted into a residential property.
The nursery will provide up to 52 spaces for pupils with an age range from birth to four-years-old.
A planning statement on behalf of Beyond The Nest said: “It will be the second site of a growing nursery chain and is being opened due to unparalleled the success of the first nursery in St Helens
“After only one year trading their St Helens site the owners want to expand their business with a new location within the Wigan.
“Shevington Moor has been identified as an ideal site due to the excellent public transportation and highways linkages and the current shortageof nurseries within the immediate vicinity coupled with the proximity of a wide range of family sized accommodation that will no doubt require nursery accommodation now or in the near future.”
The approved plans will create nine parking spaces, seven to the rear and two to the front of the property and one disabled parking bay.
Planning statements said the vacant building is in a poor condition and has had a series of “unsympathetic extensions.”
The report said it is estimated that there would be a need for between eight and 13 staff on site on any given day, depending upon the number of children in attendance.
It added that “it is highly unlikely that the nursery would operate at 100 per cent occupancy due to most children attending either one, two or three days per week due to funding.”
The report said the development would improve the setting of the listed building.
The heritage listing for the building notes that it is of “architectural interest” as an 18th century rural pub.
The listing states it has an ‘aggrandized front elevation’, perhaps built for the principal landowners, the Heskeths, whose name it bears, later embellished in the early 20th century with the addition of a deliberately archaic gablet with ball finials.
A summary of the application said: “This will put the building to a more appropriate community use and will deliver public benefits giventhe proposed reuse of the historic asset as a community facility, the new early years education provision and the associated employment and training opportunities.”