Bolton maps out masterplan for West of Wingates
Cabinet members have signed off a supplementary planning document to guide delivery of 4.7m sq ft of employment floorspace, giving weight to a critical part of the Northfold growth corridor.
A public consultation was carried out on the draft SPD over eight weeks in late 2025 and early 2026, as a result of which modifications have been made.
As a large-scale employment site, West of Wingates holds an important position within both the aspirations for Northfold – Bolton’s partnership with Wigan, working with GMCA and Peel Land – and the wider GM Places for Everyone joint development plan.
The site lies on the western edge of Westhoughton and is allocated for industrial and warehousing development under Places for Everyone, which was adopted in March 2024.
The SPD has been prepared through Bolton Council working proactively with principal landowner and developer Harworth, and stakeholders including Transport for Greater Manchester, the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit, the Greater Manchester Archaeological Advisory Service, United Utilities and the Environment Agency.
There will be extensive buffer zones of planting, said the SPD. Credit: planning documents
An indicative masterplan shows development plateaus, retained key features, green corridors, the primary movement network, and the strategic objectives and design rationale for delivery, with a suite of design principles, against which all subsequent planning applications will be assessed.
Included within West of Wingates is phase one of four: the 1.1m sq ft consent secured by Harworth after a drawn-out planning process saw the matter called-in, and then a further consent required for the realignment of a section of the A6. This is now under construction, as noted in the officer report.
As to future development, the document addresses phasing, site-wide infrastructure, planning obligations and long-term governance. Intended to be flexible but firm, it does not prescribe building heights or layouts but sets parameters.
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Taking of greenbelt, never good!
By Gar
Bolton Council have completely given up on the folk of Westhoughton, they have decided that the blight being caused on them is worthwhile for the alleged benefits of Northfold. How many grey sheds does the country need? The overdevelopment is already ridiculous, with the A6 from Little Hulton to Adlington being very busy and partially gridlocked most of the day. The rush hour starts at 4:00 in the morning with the movement of many trucks and vans, it easies for an hour and then the main rush hour starts and doesn’t really stop. How on earth is the infrastructure, and more importantly the residents, going to cope. We’re moving out, we’ve had enough !!
By Bob
Great that Westhoughton is getting investment but just needs the infrastructure to go with it.
By Anonymous
Beautiful green area has been ruined and wildlife wiped out
By Anonymous
It’s such a shame what is happening to westhoughton it used to be a small town surrounded by countryside and farmland which is now covered by housing and industrial parks. The wildlife is being distroyed or driven away from their natural habitat. I understand that people need employment and housing but there seems to be no limit in westhoughton and the infrastructures are not keeping up with the developments, the roads are chaotic if the slightest thing goes wrong and the volume of traffic causes damage to the roads surface needing constant repairs. But more importantly where are the additional schools and medical facilities. The rise in the population is bringing more money to the town with council tax etc and the town centre seems to be benefiting from the increase in the population but there are no signs of investment into the infrastructure.
By Anonymous