Buyer sought for 1,800-home Leigh project
CBRE’s Manchester-based development team has been appointed by administrators to sell a 178-acre site in Leigh, which has outline planning consent for 1,800 homes.
The scheme was brought forward by North Leigh Park Group, part of Guernsey-based Long Port Properties, but Long Port put the business, along with several other subsidiaries, into administration with Deloitte in December 2016.
Earlier in 2016, detailed consent had been secured for a 162-home first phase off Nel Pan Lane.
Along with the homes, the £310m scheme as a whole has outline consent for up to 18 acres of employment land, retail, and around 44 acres of strategic green infrastructure.
CBRE described the site as well connected, bordered by two major roads, the A577 to the north and A578 to the west with Westleigh High School located to the south east of the site.
The indicative masterplan provides for a mix of apartments, terraced, semi-detached and detached housing.
Steven Verity, senior director of the UK Development team at CBRE Manchester, said: “This is undoubtedly one of the most extensive and exciting sites to hit the North West market.
“It presents a strong opportunity for a developer to deliver a new sustainable community and through the creation of new homes and employment space, make a substantial contribution to the borough’s housing needs and wider economic and regeneration aspirations.
“We anticipate a high level of interest in this strategic site and look forward to speaking to interested parties.”
Housing in North Leigh Park, a former mining area, is a key part of Wigan’s five-year supply, and other plans have advanced in the face of local opposition, with Bellway achieving a consent for 99 homes in summer 2017.
Protests have centred on pressure on the road network, which should be alleviated following Wigan’s approval of a £10m investment in a link road for the site, confirmed in January.
