GMCA lines up land acquisition for Golborne Station

The combined authority is preparing a compulsory purchase order as a last resort to secure land for the development of Greater Manchester’s first new train station in 25 years.

Segments of land belonging to four residential properties, two primary schools, and a commercial property are required to deliver the station off Railway Road.

A GMCA report suggests that discussions are “progressing well with affected landowners”.

Transport for Greater Manchester is aiming to secure all the land required for the scheme by reaching option agreements with the affected landowners.

Legally, a CPO must be seen as a last resort, with an acquiring authority proving they have done all that they can to acquire the land by negotiation.

Therefore, with discussions ongoing, the CPO paperwork will be prepared in parallel until the property interests are legally secured.

Simultaneously, work is being done for the submission of a planning application and a tender for the design and build.

The scheme has a budget of £32m, with funding received from the Transforming Cities Fund, granted in January 2021.

Further financial support has been secured from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement.

Golborne and its surrounding areas, Lowton and Leigh constitute one of the largest regions in Greater Manchester without a railway station.

Currently, residents face an hour-long trip to reach Manchester city centre. The rail enhancements would cut trip times from the Wigan town by half.

Public support for the station is strong, with 93% of 3,000 public consultees in favour of the development, according to the GMCA.

A Transport for Greater Manchester spokesperson said: “We are working with Wigan Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority to deliver a new rail station in Golborne, which will provide a key public transport link for people in the town and the broader borough of Wigan.

“To deliver the station, which would be the first to be built in Greater Manchester in more than 20 years, and wider transport improvements in the town as part of the Bee Network, we’re in negotiations with a small number of landowners who we may need to acquire some land from temporarily or permanently.

“Every attempt will be made to buy any land by agreement with the land owners as we look to deliver rail services to Golborne for the first time in over 60 years.”

The proposed site is on the West Coast Mainline, which runs east of Golborne’s High Street.

Manchester’s city region has not built a train station for more than 20 years, since Horwich Parkway opened in July 1999.