Enabling work begins as Wigan Pier approved
The mixed-use regeneration of Wigan Pier, including waterside homes, a food hall and event venues, has been given planning consent by the council.
Step Places was chosen as developer for the site by the council and the Canal & River Trust last year.
The scheme was split across two planning applications, proposing a revamp of the three main 18th-century buildings on the site. Dating from the 1790s, these are a 23,000 sq ft warehouse; the 8,000 sq ft former Orwell at Wigan pub; and the 4,500 sq ft former education centre at the pier.
Operated by The Old Courts, a gin distillery and microbrewery will be created on the site of the old museum, along with a food hall, with spaces for café, bar and deli retailers, with decorative glass features and a room for seating on the ground and mezzanine floors.
The proposals also include canal-side walkways and eight townhouses. The architect is Southgate Sarabia.
The former Orwell public house will become an events venue hosting weddings, exhibitions and conferences, while the former education centre will be used for events encouraging community integration and cultural workshops.
Leader of the council, Cllr David Molyneux said: “The collaborative plans we have for Wigan Pier will completely rejuvenate the area and will connect the Pier Quarter to the town centre much more seamlessly.
“We are confident that that local people, visitors and those with an interest in the Pier buildings will welcome this formal decision and will also enjoy seeing this 18th Century site be brought back into modern use.
“We’re working hard to develop a new offer that will attract visitors, which includes culture, leisure and employment opportunities.
“We’re also really pleased to see a residential offer included in the vision which will ensure we have a mixture of homes available to suit our residents and is a key ambition outlined in our Strategic Regeneration Framework’.
“Wigan Pier is a huge step-forward in creating this offer and it is great news that the work can now really begin. As always, we will continue to keep the public informed of the development as it progresses.”
Harry Dhaliwal, managing director of Step Places, said: “Today’s decision is a defining moment for both the Wigan Pier development and the future of the area. We are looking forward to starting work on the scheme alongside our dedicated partners and creating a truly outstanding destination with high quality spaces that Wigan can be proud of.”
Enabling works have started on site, with the main phase of construction due to begin next month. The scheme is scheduled for completion in March 2020.
Great to see this area coming back !
By Tha'knows
Bout time something efficiently and effectively being done to make Wigan pier a life again.. Wigan pier is missed by thousands of people from Wigan and around many counties. Would like to see proposal of possibility of Rave Nites Again now an then Added to the new Revamp or wouldn’t be the same listed building we wiganers born n bread have had for hundred yrs and Generations as we knew it… Think about it Developers and pls put forward to council for approval. No harm in asking. Give us wiganers something back that we miss and love so much….
Kind regards
Thankyou wishes..
Miss D. Gregory.
By Miss D Gregory
@D Gregory I seem to recall noise complaints from people in the flats across eventually killed off The Pier, despite the fact that people buying/renting there new full there was a cub across the road!
A travesty and a very much missed club 🙁
By I miss "The Pier"
It’s a new regeneration development, with more chance of success and bringing both income and sustainability to the Pier area.
The last thing it needs, as both the council and the old courts both know full well, is another noise nuisance problem from a long past era of ‘rave’ dives, which only cause bad inappropriate behaviour along with alchohol/drug related violence and mess.
As per the article above, if you’d read it properly, it also includes new town housing.
It needs to grasp a more upmarket position like the Liverpool docks which the above appears to be and duly welcomed by the majority.
The pier club had its day and then some. It was in total decline even before residents had moved into the mill. Complaints had also risen from Swan Meadow road houses previously too.
Time to move on. Plenty of places in the town for clubbing, if that’s your thing. The Pier needs an identity, focus and development of cultural facilities to bring the income in.
End of.
/
By Common sense.