WIGAN | Full Summary of Developments

[ferge]

Sounds promising

£10.5m facelift for high-rise flats



TRANSFORMATION: Three of the five tower blocks earmarked to undergo renewal including external insulation cladding and replacement windows

An exciting multi-million pound makeover project has been unveiled for Wigan's 1960s high-rise flats in Scholes Village.
Five of the tower blocks are set for a huge overhaul as part of a massive £230m investment by Wigan and Leigh Housing in council accommodation the borough.

Around 500 flats will be renovated in the plans for Brook House, Woodcock House, Derby House, Mannion House and Crompton House.

Plans include:



External cladding to improve insulation, visually transforming the blocks;

Replacement PVC-u windows, with energy-efficient glass and ventilation to combat condensation;

New roofs with improved insulation;

Repairs to balconies and gables;

Improved lighting;

Massive redecorating and flooring programmes to communal areas; and

New individual front doors and automatic communal entrance doors

Residents can have their say on all aspects of the proposals at Wigan's Quality Hotel on Thursday March 13 or Wednesday March 19, at 10am, 3pm or 6pm.

Marjorie Marsden, deputy chair and tenant board member of Wigan and Leigh Housing, said: "These are really exciting proposals to completely modernise the tower blocks within Scholes Village and we would like to hear from as many residents who live the village as possible.

"Inside and outside the flats, the design choices are theirs to make and we hope a number of them will join the project team to assist in choosing a principal contractor for the project.

"The external insulation should help reduce residents' heating bills."
Visitors to the Quality Hotel can see computer-generated images, meet the people behind the project, and raise issues.
It is hoped work can begin late this summer and be completed within two years.

A local contractor has already been appointed to do major internal refurbishment to communal areas of another high-rise, Douglas House, also at Scholes Village.

[ferge]

and mentioned towers.. (not sure if you're allowed to put webb aviation pics on here??)



the 5 taller council blocks are the ones to be refurbished, the picture also shows the site of the joint services development, the 18 storey modus tower, some of the site of the 13(?) storey apartment scheme, i think there is also a 15 storey scheme nearby to this too.. more than I ever imagined in the pipeline for me lil ole town

[ferge]

I cannae keep up with all this, at this rate.. I will have developments to put on the start of this Wigan development thread, think it might be a job for me tomorrow, haha.

Finishing touches to £100m plan



Time is running out for the public to air their views on proposals for the £100m regeneration of a famous old Wigan mill complex.
Industrial units, apartments, a large hotel and canal marina – together creating hundreds of jobs – are in the blueprint for Eckersley Mills.

The plans will remain on show at the town's History Shop until close of play today, after which, mills owner Maryland Securities will put the finishing touches to a planning application for submission to Wigan

Metro, possibly as early as this month.
The former cotton mills off Swan Meadow Road have been overshadowed in recent years by the major redevelopment of Trencherfield Mill, but they have just as great a potential, not least because they are half as big again as their smartened-up Wigan Pier neighbour.

Should the project be approved the work could take between eight and 10 years to complete.
It is hoped that new businesses would move into Mill Number One and create extra employment under the first phase of the development.
The majority of space in subsequent phases would be taken up by residential premises.

Maryland, which is keen to stress that the project is still subject to planning approval, says it would not be forcing any of the 40-plus existing businesses to leave to make way for the revamp. More than 100 years old, the Eckersley buildings were listed in the 1980s but even then part of them were in a poor state of repair.

Mill Number Two was also badly damaged in the storms of October 2006, although it was later made watertight. There is widespread recognition, however, that conditions need to improve for it to prosper.

This is acknowledged by Maryland in as much as the marina and new-build hotel aspects would be last to arrive, when their environment is smarter.

A Maryland spokesman said: "The plans have generated a good deal of interest."
The History Shop in Library Street is open until 3pm today.

[ferge]

And more..

Plans for Buddhist tourist attraction

A unique international tourist attraction could be on its way to Wigan.
The Wigan Observer has learned that the town's huge Chinese textiles hub project may include an ornate Shaolin Buddhist temple.
The temple would be the largest of its kind outside China and would attract hundreds of thousands of people a year to the town.

An outline concept for the Wigan Chinese Temple project has now been put forward by the Lee Kai Hung Foundation, a charity founded in 1992 to help Chinese students studying in Britain, on behalf of the North West Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

The temple site could include hotel and retail facilities, an educational and cultural centre and would be a source of meditation for visiting Chinese business people.
The temple is seen as an important potential aid to understanding and
building links between the two nations.

However, it was not announced at last week's high profile press
conference about the Chinagate textile plan.
And the Lee Kai Hung Foundation's founder Dr Lee said: "A feasibility study is being carried out but I believe any further exposure at this stage is premature."

China's Shaolin Monastery was made world famous by Hollywood's 1970s cult classic series, Kung Fu, featuring David Carradine.
Dating from AD 496, it is the only temple in China that combines martial arts and Zen Buddhism.

As such, monks at the monastery may be martial monks, scholarly or clerical monks.
It is held that Zen Buddhism allows you to store and build up 'chi' (spiritual energy), while martial arts is the act of releasing chi; therefore, the two complement and complete each other.

The monastery in China has been destroyed and rebuilt many times and martial arts groups from all over the world have made donations for the upkeep of the temple and grounds.

The project to bring a temple to Wigan has the backing of the North West Development Agency and Wigan Council which view it as presenting a significant tourist and heritage opportunity for the North West.

A spokesman for the Metro said that a project was currently under construction in China and the Wigan proposition would, in part, be modelled on that.

Specialist consultants Liverpool based L and R Leisure have recently been appointed to undertake a feasibility study into the potential development of the temple on the former power station site at Westwood, although its specific location has yet to be confirmed.

The Metro spokesman added: "They will look into the economic and tourism potential of the Temple.
"It will also help us to understand what public sector and other interventions will be needed to secure the project, should it prove to be a practical opportunity."

A spokesman for the North West Development Agency said: "We have been made aware of it and remain supportive although it is very early days yet and we haven't seen anything concrete yet."

[ferge]

and finally for the treble, stumbled across this on the planning portal..

as part of the Trencherfield 'Heritage Quarter', a 15 STOREY apartment block

[gothicform]

do you know who the architect and developer are?

[Comdot]

ferge can you see it in here? http://kinnear.wigan.gov.uk/planapps...sAppSearch.asp what's its address?

[ferge]

the agent is Inside Out Design Associates Ltd


http://kinnear.wigan.gov.uk/planapps...pNo=A/07/69409

[Comdot]

nice one.

A/07/69409
Application Reference A/07/69409
Address of Proposal Land And Buildings On The South Side Of Woods Street Wigan WN3 4ET
Proposal To erect 1no. 10-15 storey block containing 100 apartments and first floor office suite accommodation
Status
Pending Consideration
Applicant's Name P R Pattison, A Nuttall & MJF
Applicant's Address Delta Works Chadwick Road Eccles M30 0WP
Agent's Name Inside Out Design Associates Ltd
Agent's Address The Old Bank 358 Manchester Road Hollinwood Oldham Lancashire OL9 7NU
Date Application Received 07/09/2007



september 07....me thinks the wigan planning portal needs a trawl!

[Comdot]

Originally Posted by ferge

and mentioned towers.. (not sure if you're allowed to put webb aviation pics on here??)



the 5 taller council blocks are the ones to be refurbished, the picture also shows the site of the joint services development, the 18 storey modus tower, some of the site of the 13(?) storey apartment scheme, i think there is also a 15 storey scheme nearby to this too.. more than I ever imagined in the pipeline for me lil ole town

ferge you wouldn't happen to know the names of any of those council blocks would you? i want to put them on skyscrapernews.com but need the names first. if there are any others in wigan above 10 floors i'd be interested in their names also.

[ferge]

I can try and find out for you, other than that I'm not aware of any other tall buildings.. Having said that I don't live in Wigan anymore and have few opportunities to visit, but will try my best

[Comdot]

Originally Posted by ferge

Well the Wigan thread has always been there, even when there was .....abso-bloody-lutey nothing going on here! Alas, I'm gonna work on updating the developments over the weekend as I've just had a rummage through the planning dept files and found some new stuff..

For a sneaky peak..


the newly proposed Goldcrest homes Resi Development, as mentioned on the thread some time ago.. on the site of the old Police HQ

well i found the app for this. the latest is that it got outline planning permission, on january 22nd 2008.

to view go here http://kinnear.wiganmbc.gov.uk/planapps/
wigan's planning website isn't able to provide direct links to apps, so you'll have to put the app number in the search box. pretty easy really.

Application Details
Application Reference A/06/66696
Address of Proposal Former Police Station Harrogate Street Wigan WN1 1DX
Proposal Demolition of existing building and erection of two buildings with A1/A3 and D2 uses on part ground floor, and up to 253 residential units on upper floors and provision of new access on Harrogate Street. Application in outline with siting and means of acc
Applicant Details
Type of Application
Major Outline
Status
Application Approved with Conditions
Decision
Approved with Conditions
Decision Level
Delegated Decision
Case Officer
Mr R Taylor
Telephone
01942 488045
Ward
Ince
Applicant's Name Goldcrest Homes (Portesbury) L
Applicant's Address As Agent
Agent Details
Agent's Name CgMs Ltd
Agent's Address Morley House 26 Holborn Viaduct London EC1A 2AT

there is another application from goldcrest, presumably to remove the conditions or something. it seems to have been applied for in parrallel, as the decision date is the same as the above. i've not had a chance to look yet. it was refused, january 22nd 2008.

Application Details
Application Reference 07/00043/NONDET
Address of Proposal Former Police Station Harrogate Street Wigan WN1 1DX
Proposal Demolition of existing building and erection of two buildings with A1/A3 and D2 uses on part ground floor, and up to 253 residential units on upper floors, and provision of new access from Harrogate Street. Application in outline with layout and means of
Applicant Details
Type of Application
Status
Appeal Withdrawn
Decision
Withdrawn
Decision Level
Case Officer
Mr R Taylor/Mr N Higson
Telephone
01942 488045
Ward
Ince
Applicant's Name Goldcrest Homes (Portesbury Lt
Applicant's Address C/o Agent
Agent Details
Agent's Name Mr Kevin Goodwin
Agent's Address C G M S Morley House 26 Holborn Viaduct LONDON EC1A 2AT

and just to confuse matters there's this too. perhaps some earlier version of the same app, or something. says pending. probably obsolete.

Application Details
Application Reference A/07/69290
Address of Proposal Former Police Station Harrogate Street Wigan WN1 1DX
Proposal Demolition of existing building and erection of two buildings with A1/A3 and D2 uses on part ground floor, and up to 253 residential units on upper floors, and provision of new access from Harrogate Street. Application in outline with layout and means of
Applicant Details
Type of Application
Major Outline
Status
Pending Consideration
Decision
Pending
Decision Level
Delegated Decision
Case Officer
Mr R Taylor
Telephone
01942 488045
Ward
Ince
Applicant's Name Goldcrest Homes (Portesbury Lt
Applicant's Address C/o Agent
Agent Details
Agent's Name CgMs Ltd
Agent's Address Morley House 26 Holborn Viaduct London EC1A 2AT

[ferge]

Seems to be a few new developments circulating for Wigan, all of them facing a lot of criticism from the local ney-sayers! Firstly, they didn't want the Grand Arcade shopping centre, because they didn't want new shops and because a multi-storey car park would be lost. Now they're complaining that the renovation of an old mill/college building to apartments will cause a parking crisis. However, a simultaneous development for a new multi-storey car park by the train station is causing just as much hoo har, because 'Wigan doesn't need more parking'!! It baffles me, do they not read over all their complaints and think, 'wait... we're hypocrites?!'

Parking fears at plan for mill


ALL the latest news

« Previous « PreviousNext » Next »View GalleryADVERTISEMENTPublished Date:
13 February 2009
By Charles Graham
Ambitious plans to transform a former Wigan mill are among the few positive economic signs in Wigan at the moment - but that doesn't mean it will go unchallenged.
Questions are already being asked about the practicalities of turning what used to be Wigan College's Pagefield building into almost 300 flats and 700m sq of office space – particularly with regard to parking.

Manchester-based Tower Gate Developments say they have great plans for the 144-year-old listed cotton mill building and this month submitted a planning application to Wigan Metro.

The bid also asks permission to demolish a part of the listed premises and replace it with five new buildings. It says that 166 parking spaces would be created.

However, residents in nearby streets feel that number is not enough.
Stuart Worthington, of Kenyon Road, said: "Anyone who uses Mesnes Park or lives within about a mile is likely to be affected by this development.

"Since most of the residential units will be two and three-bedroom apartments, I would expect an average of at least 1.2 cars per household, which would mean at least 183 cars looking for somewhere to park in Swinley. I believe that anyone living on a street within a mile of Mesnes Park is likely to find it very difficult to park on their own street.

"I would also expect serious traffic issues, since there are only two ways to get in and out of the campus and there are already traffic problems at those junctions."

Jim Cunliffe, of Walkden Avenue, said: "When the college was in the mill it had a big car park, but we still had folk parking on the road. Now the college has put its new buildings on that car park while the old Rylands Mill is still there.

"Not only will you have all these new residents needing parking spaces, but there are also the staff of and visitors to the offices that are also being created.

"I don't want to pour cold water on a project that could bring new homes and businesses to Wigan during a recession, but it worries me that Swinley's traffic nightmare is going to get worse because of it."

Designed by George Woodhouse, Rylands Mill has been part of the Wigan landscape for 144 years. Early photographs show it pre-dating the park and, for much of that time, it was in the business of cotton, employing hundreds of workers.

By the 1980s, its days as a factory were over and in 1985 it became a major annexe to the rapidly expanding Wigan Technical College.

It was used by students for the next 22 years but, while architecturally impressive, it was costly and impractical to maintain, won few friends as a centre for education and Wigan and Leigh College, as it became, leapt at the opportunity to build new £12.5m premises nearby. The mill has been empty for 18 months now.

A spokesman for Tower Gate declined to comment other than to say the company wanted to let the planning process take its course.

courtesy of 28days later

Application number - A/09/72444

[ferge]

more controversy..

Plans to ease town centre parking problems


A futuristic new development is planned to help end Wigan's town centre parking problems.
A multi-million pound 400-space multi-storey car park is to be built alongside North Western Station – increasing the number of spaces by 50 per cent.

The existing ground-level facility will disappear for the new glass-sided construction which will help replace the capacity swallowed up by the Grand Arcade project which meant the Station Road multi-storey off Standishgate was bulldozed.

However, under the scheme the current car park will close in a week's time (February 23) for piling work to start, with the new facility not due to open until Christmas – so commuters and shoppers are being warned to find alternative parking in the meantime.

What do you think? Add your comments below ...

The car park is part of a £90m expansion at 17 sites along the West Coast Main Line and Wigan is the first location on the national rail network where this German design has been used for station parking.
The new car park will be a three-storey glass-clad structure with each storey a different colour.

It will boast 'green' lighting and ticketing machines courtesy of two of the latest "egg whisk-style "12m wind turbines.

The system is said to be quieter than the conventional and controversial windmill style wind turbines. They also create less vibration and can capture wind from any direction. This allows them to be located within built up areas, rather than needing a clear flow of air to operate.

Network Rail's route enhancements manager David Golding said demand for rail travel is set to rise.
He said: "We predict that many of these extra passengers will drive to the station, putting more strain on the car park.

"We need to increase the number of parking spaces to cater for this demand so, working with Virgin Trains, we have committed £90m to transform parking at many of the stations on the West Coast Main Line over the next 18 months."

Virgin Trains and Network Rail say that they are working closely with watchdog Passenger Focus to minimise the inconvenience to rail travellers during the work to improve car parking at North Western station.
The nearest alternative car park is Chapel Lane.

Wigan North Western said that they are urging all customers who travel to North Western station by car to allow extra time for their journey to the station, to ensure that they are still able to catch their intended train.

[ferge]

glad to know the previous proposal is off..

Eyesore Town Hall plan back on



Published Date:
16 February 2009
By Richard Bean
One of Wigan's biggest eyesores could be transformed into a hotel and conference centre if a development project finally gets the go-ahead.
International developers Foxglove are set to resubmit a scheme to revive the remnants of Wigan's Grade II listed former town hall.

Early last year the Jersey-based firm withdrew the £25m project only hours before councillors were due to sit down to consider the planners recommendation to reject it.

Now the Evening Post has learned that the new plan will see the end of the residential element of the project featuring a 10-storey high tower and replace it with a hotel and conference centre, plus commercial office space.

What do you think? Add your comments below ...

It is thought that the plan could be considered for approval as early as April.

The controversial first plans were criticised by architectural watchdogs for not making enough effort to secure historical features of the Rodney Street complex.

English Heritage said the project failed to offer a "sympathetic or appropriate" treatment of a listed building which dates from 1866.
There was no-one available to comment from Foxglove, but the company has said previously that the scheme would be a regeneration and enhancement of the derelict site as well as providing new jobs within
the town centre.

Town centre ward Councillor Gareth Fairhurst said: "The Wigan papers have been full of developers who have pulled out of Wigan recently but these people are cash-rich and keen to develop here.
"Foxglove has got a very exciting proposal and are keen to get started as soon as possible.

"This new project would created over a thousand jobs over 18 months of building the site and then create more jobs when finished.
"I have been pushing the council to be more pro-active in speaking to the developers as this is the best way forward."

A Metro spokesman said: "All along, the council's concern has been to see a high quality building on this very prominent entrance into Wigan.
"We want to make sure the development actually happens, but we make no apology for making sure that whatever does go there will enhance the town for many years to come.

"The applicants are responding constructively to our suggestions and things are moving in the right direction.
"We're also seeking assurances from the site owners as to how they will make the listed building and its site secure to prevent unauthorised access and further damage."

The full article contains 418 words and appears in Wigan Evening Post newspaper.

[ferge]

Some artist drawings of the Pagefield Mill redevelopment..

[Comdot]

always interesting to hear about the town that i grew up in. keep the updates coming, ferge.

[ferge]

Just some snippets :

- North Western car park is now on site.. not really going to get excited about a car park, but at least its making more use of a large plot of land and will hide the backs of all the buildings on King st which were never a nice welcome to the town..
- I noticed the other day that behind the closed swimming baths is a facade test for the new swimming pool, with several coloured tiles.. I don't know if they are testing several shades/makes of tile.. or if its representative of the facade with varied shades.. It looks nice though, will brave a picture next week maybe.
- First of the Schole's tower blocks is well underway with its re-clad, although still not sure what the finish will be like, as so far they've added several layers of insulation and rendered over it.. I'm praying that they're going to clad over that or paint it!
- There's a lot of red cabins appearing behind the old police station, and a lot of people in hi-ves jackets when I went passed on the bus last night. I'm presuming they're for Schole's flat recladding, or could they be getting ready to clear the old Police station??

[ferge]

somet else..

NEW LOOK: Artist’s impression of the Bickershaw site

« Previous « PreviousNext » Next »View GalleryADVERTISEMENTPublished Date:
25 February 2009
By Charles Graham
A plan to transform a derelict former colliery site into a new country park is to be brought to life as part of a special exhibition.
The multi-million pound project to breathe new life into the old mining site at Bickershaw will take centre-stage on March 5 with a display in the foyer of the town hall between 6pm and 8pm.

The exhibition, at Leigh Town Hall, is a morale boost after it was announced that the tendering process for a community of zero-carbon eco-homes for the site was postponed last week due to concerns over the recession's impact on the building industry.

The project, which is a partnership between Wigan Council, the Homes
and Communities Agency, Groundwork and others, will see a 190-hectare country park with a host of attractions created over the next few years.
These include an 18-hole golf course, nine-hole "pitch and putt," golf driving range, visitors' centre and activity island.

Plans on display will include the designs for the Visitors' Centre created by award-winning architects Maccreanor Lavington.
The site plans also include proposals for new footpaths, landscaped areas and improvements to the existing natural habitats.

The event is being hosted by Groundwork Community Engagement manager Michael Scarisbrick, who said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for people to have a look at the plans for the most exciting development in Leigh today.

"Not only will local people have a chance to view the plans but they will also be able to discuss them with some of the project partners."
The Rushes is set to open to the public within the next 18 months, with the first game of golf teeing off in 2011.

Wigan Council's Cabinet Champion for the Environment, Coun David Molyneux said: "We are looking to the future while keeping a sense of respect for the past.

"Nature is already beginning to reclaim a foothold on the former slag heaps and flashes and we are more than happy to help this along.

"We have talked with many individuals and communities about plans for The Rushes and seen a great number of people have their say and express their views on the subject." The HCA has stressed the eco-homes project has not been dropped, rather postponed until June.

[ferge]

These are the colour schemes for the Schole's council block reclads..



they are going to look disgusting I wasn't hoping for much, but blue council blocks? how is that making them more modern??!!! If anything these tower blocks were fairly nice compared to other places, yet now having 5 blue and grey blocks.. probably look more dated than ever, hardly progress..