DB Symmetry plans 2019 start for 1.4m sq ft Wigan site

The developer has submitted a planning application for a green belt site off Junction 25 of the M6, which could feature 1.4m sq ft of employment space and the potential to generate up to 1,650 jobs.

The developer held consultations on the proposals in May this year, and has now submitted a planning application for 1.44m sq ft of logistics and employment space, with the first two units due to be developed speculatively next year, subject to planning approval.

The whole site will be built out by 2026; this could create up to 1,650 jobs and will add £3m a year in business rates payments to Wigan Council. Construction costs are expected to be around £73m.

The plans are for a site south of Winstanley, off the A49 Warrington Road. This was formerly used as an open case coal mine and a colliery until the early 1980s.

The area is currently within the green belt but Wigan Council identified the site as suitable for a logistics development in April this year, after finding it did not have sufficient employment land outside the green belt to meet its employment land needs.

The developer said there would be a “substantial green buffer” between the site and the nearest housing in Winstanley. There will be a new access via a roundabout on the A49, as well as extensive landscaping to screen the development and new rights of way around the site. The site is also likely to be allocated for release from the green belt in the upcoming Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

Wigan Council is expected to make a decision on DB Symmetry’s planning application by the end of the year.

Andrew Dickman, managing director of DB Symmetry, said: “The Council has identified that Wigan needs to do more to attract and retain businesses in the borough, and particularly those that need larger, modern premises. The Employment Land Position Statement shows an immediate need for high-quality sites with access to the M6 and has identified Symmetry Park Wigan as a suitable site.

“When fully operational, symmetry park Wigan could deliver 1,650 high quality jobs in the logistics sector from entry-level operatives to supply chain managers, with automation in the sector requiring increasingly skilled technicians. We’re working closely with local employment and training providers to ensure that people across Wigan can access these opportunities and build a career in the logistics sector.

“We’ve consulted with the local community in preparing a detailed and robust planning application. As a result of the consultation we’ve decided to move our boundary further away from people living in Winstanley, leaving a substantial green landscaped buffer to the north of the site.

“We’ve also looked carefully at the potential traffic impacts of the development and how these will be managed. The site is in an excellent location for logistics with direct access to the M6, meaning vehicles can avoid residential areas.”