Wigan reveals public art plan for Market Place
Wigan Council is set to start on site in the spring with £1.3m of improvements to public realm in its town centre.
The project will see Market Place overhauled to deliver a modern urban plaza with large event space, contemporary lighting, built-in seating, new trees and granite paving.
The plaza will feature four beacons created by artist blacksmith Chris Brammall. The beacons will reflect where the former tramway stanchions in the Market Place once stood in the early 20th-Century.
Brammall has created architectural sculptures for NOMA Manchester, Derby Innovation Centre, The Lake District National Park and the Imperial War Musuem.
The new Market Place will also create a more usable and flexible space for performances and events including markets, fairs, music concerts and ice skating rinks.
New lighting features will include floor mounted lights on the seating features and lighting in the trees which can change colour remotely to reflect events or seasons.
The project is set to begin in the spring once a contractor is appointed, and will take approximately 20 weeks.
Cllr David Molyneux, Wigan Council’s cabinet member for regeneration, said: “The new Market Place in Wigan will deliver a much improved environment for visitors and businesses and as a place for events and leisure activities.
“We recognise that our town centres are so much more a social space than they used to be which is why we have created a design which will make many more events possible.
“We have secured the very best architects, artist and materials so that we will deliver something of real quality that will stand the test of time.”
The landscape architect is Re-form.
