Peel plans 500 homes, 490,000 sq ft industrial in Wigan
Known as Gibfield Park, the major mixed-use scheme would be constructed on 173 acres between Atherton and Westhoughton.
Peel Land has launched a consultation on its plans for the Wigan site, allocated for development in the Places for Everyone joint spatial plan for Greater Manchester and located between the Southport-Manchester railway line and Wigan Road.
View the plans for Gibfield Park
Up to 500 homes are planned, with a quarter of these expected to be affordable.
The homes would be located on two plots; one to the south of the allocation and one to the north.
Much of the site would be given over to a 71-acre country park, meaning large parts of the allocation would remain as green space.
The 490,000 sq ft of industrial space would be constructed tot he south of the site, west of Gibfield Park Way, which would be extended northwards.
Annabel Baker, associate director of development planning at Peel Land, said: “We’re delighted to bring forward our masterplan for Gibfield Park, progressing the long-term aspirations for this strategic site in line with its allocation in the Places for Everyone Plan.
“Delivering new homes and employment space alongside the creation of a new country park for the community will create a sustainable community in Atherton. We’d like to encourage local residents and businesses to view the virtual consultation and let us know what they think about the proposals.”
Cavendish, NJL Consulting, and Lucid are advising Peel.
The site is located within the NorthFold growth corridor, which spans both Wigan and Bolton. Overall, the corridor could accommodate 9,000 homes and more than 3m sq ft of industrial space. Last year, Peel Land unveiled a vision for another site within the NorthFold corridor; the 240-acre Lee Hall development, which comprises plans for 1,400 homes and 270,000 sq ft of employment space.
Always a concern when fields are being built over – however the prospect of a 71 acre park with enhanced landscaping shows some promise (and compassion).
By Anonymous
3 times a year (for the past 6 years) I have to drive for work related reasons from Wigan town centre to a business directly across from the new houses at Gibfield park Atherton-this is between 8 & 9am. This journey is nothing short of being described as torture words cannot put it better. All because the public transport infrastructure is completely lacking yet recognised as a failure by everyone motorist or not. This article says we instead of building a tram line or railway line are going to compound your frustrations and anger into an almost unmanageable level of stress by ignorance of what we are proposing.
By Anonymous
Peel won’t build any of these they will be sold to house builders once planning achieved – like the other sites last year.
By Bob Dawson
To be fair transport links will be quite good, the development site lies between 0.5 and 1.5km of Daisy Hill and Hag Fold rail stations and the southern end is within a kilometre of the V1 bus route and there is half a dozen existing local bus routes adjacent to the site.
By Watcherzero
What a joke .
By Wayne Crosby .
We are so worried about climate change what we do to resolve this is rip up trees grass and more green spaces yes that will solve the issue of climate change the liss of another green space well done
By Anonymous
No more houses without road infrastructure in place first and definitely no more affordable homes
By Paul mack
We don’t want anymore houses until we get the infrastructure put in . Takes an hour and half from hindley green to Wigan a journey which should be 20 minutes max . This development must be stopped along with the hindley and Hindley green south development.
By Mark Prescott
Not without road inferstructure its already imposible at any time of day to get to wigan or westhoughton not suitable for todays traffic .
By Jonesy
Peel don’t build. They rent or sell.
Either way more greenbelt disappears with the promise of a ‘ park ‘
By Ben
Does that mean 75% of homes won’t be affordable?.
By Anonymous
We need lots and lots of Dutch style cycle tracks that are segregated from mobile two tonne front rooms. And the houses should by default have ground based heat exchange pumps , solar panels and electric car chargers as standard on driveways
By Anonymous
On the one hand there is a need for (affordable) housing, and on the other you have Wigan Council with over 70% of its land designated as green space declaring a climate emergency while effectively placing much of this land in the east of the borough for development of private housing (see plans for Hindley!) and with it an increase in carbon whether via concrete or cars. Wigan is increasingly becoming grid locked with no investment to improve transport connnectivity. I take Watcherzero’s point, but how many will walk to the station rather than park there (74 spaces at Daisy Hill, 0 at Hag Fold), or take their chances with the V1? The infrastructure must come first.
By Anonymous
The houses on the picture look like Northstone style houses
By TONE
Noone in the area wants this and we will fight this going ahead. The roads cannot cope with the traffic we have at the moment so to build 500 houses with average of 2 cars per household will totally destroy commuting for everyone. Also all the wildlife that are going to be affected. We were promised a park with the first phase and that never happened.
By Joan Higson
The existing infrastructure on Wigan Road cannot cope with the traffic now if this goes ahead you will be making it even more unsafe, congested not to mention all the wildlife including protected species such as newts. Atherton is becoming a concrete jungle because of your greed all about money, the environment and the people come second. Looks fabulous from a desktop proposal but try putting some actual thought on the impact this will have to local people, wildlife, traffic chaos and an unsustainable future. The country park promise is just a deterrent to make it look ‘green’ when the land they will swallow on building in comparison is huge
By Anonymous
No one who lives in this area want or will benefit from these plans. Your plan to build warehouses on grazing land and cover an existing country park with tarmac , industrial units and housing is a disgrace. No care for current residents or the wildlife whose lives you are destroying. The roads in this area are already gridlocked and building your proposed monstrosities will add to the misery. No plans for additional schools, doctors or dentists. No real thought , just the prospect of money in your greedy hands. Wigan is already 180% over housing requirements…. Just who are you planning to house? These plans show zero likeness to Places for people plans and have zero concern for actual people and the impact on the community. Not even adequate information given to affected residents. Restricted access to raise questions and concerns. Zero detailed plans. And not even strength of your conviction to meet residents face to face. Absolutely disgraceful!
By Deborah Yates
We do not want an industrial space in Atherton, have you even considered the impact the warehouses in Astley has had on the local residents and environment? This proposal is a complete joke, there is a wildlife that lives on that land not to even mention the lack of infrastructure for all the 1,000 new people living in the area and the detrimental impact on the already stretched road network around the talbot roundabout and platt lane. This will create nothing but chaos. Too many new housing developments being thrown up to meet corporate targets with no government funding going into doctors, dentists, schools, hospitals, transport to match.
By Furious local resident
Our edge of town green space definitely doesn’t need covering with concrete and warehouses or office space. Our roads are already overflowing with the addition of the driving test centre, not just the drivers on a test but learners around the whole of Atherton including huge HGV’s, buses etc making the whole of Atherton congested. The addition of a business park would be extremely detrimental to the environment, the community, wildlife, flooding. Maybe the planners haven’t been to study the effect of heavy rain on the area or heavy snow when HGV’s get stuck & that I’d just on the approach towards the Talbot Atherton, good luck on the steep slope towards the intended new roads! This development WILL have an extreme NEGATIVE impact on Atherton. Peel Holdings shame on you!
By Anonymous
The infrastructure of the roads around hindley, Westhoughton and atherton cannot sustain the amount of extra pressure this will bring. Also this will increase pollution and air quality for the area.
Not to mention the negative impact on the wildlife habitat for the area.
By Jane Allsop
Leave the land as it is. The area does not have the infrastructure to cope with what you’re proposing. There’s wildlife living on it & the local community want to keep it that way
By Dianne
This development should not go ahead for the following reasons;
Congestion; the roads cannot support an additional 100 plus vehicles
Loss of habitat for diverse wildlife
No support services such as doctors, dentists, school places
By Kathryn Mather
Could someone pls link the homes which will be available. Looking for a 4 bed. Happy to put reservation fee down. Thanks all
By Chris
This is a disgraceful proposal. The space is one of the few green areas left. Peel do their best to spin things to try and appear better than the reality. We have seen that in Astley with the warehouses. They are looking to do the same again. I have lived here for 60 years this should not happen.
By P Coleman
Nobody wants this to happen. The traffic is terrible already at all times of the day and week
By Atherton resident
Absolutely nobody wants this
By Mike Wharton
No more houses needed before putting proper infrastructure in place like roads, school, GP practice etc
By Anonymous
There are already too many new builds in Atherton. Gibfiekd is probably the only place for wildlife in the area. I live just past the border of Atherton and daisy hill and the traffic going past my house is horrendous and subject to long tail backs . Can you imagine up to another 900 cars making their way to the M61 in addition the the 1450 houses planned at Lee Hall over the other side of the railway . Probably around 3000 cars extra on the road.
I know a new road is planned but that will nowhere near take the extra traffic and it will be carnage at Chequerbent roundabout .
There is a plethora of wildlife living in the Givfield and Lee Hall area . Where will they go?
Plenty of empty houses and brown field sites in the area utilise those and stop Peel Homes making one a big conobation of Atherton and Daisy Hill
By Susan Pauksztello
No infrastructure to accommodate these plans. There is expansion of local industrial sites closer to motorway networks already in place. Why build industrial site close to residential homes, increasing pollution, noise and carbon footprint whilst destroying nature. This needs to stop
By Resident
It’s a joke, go and refurbish empty buildings and make them fair and sustainable. Stop taking the land that is used for nature, mental health walks and landscape scenery. Stop being money grabbers and think of the environment
By Anonymous
Its really important that access north, west, east and south of this development is open to all. This will increase the population on roads and green space so making routes accessable for everyone, walkers, prams, scooters, bikes and horse riders is really important!
By Terrin
Completely against this nonsense of a proposal, no infrastructure for a further development of homes, no road infrastructure to support the existing housing yet let’s build more. It’s green belt land with animals inhabitants of deer, rabbits and a lot more animals and rodents. No infrastructure for schools, Doctors, police, fire, shops, the negative effects on wildlife and the environment outweigh any potential for the future development plans. Find it very interesting how much more green belt land is going to be sold off and used for housing projects instead of being used for agriculture and livestock, farming or to provide parkland natural habitats for animals
By Mr Kirkpatrick
The industrial element of this Masterplan is unwanted. It will use up the remaining green land in Atherton. The park in the middle, will not benefit anyone south of this development. The extra traffic will just create more air and noise pollution, effectively making this area more deprived based on Government Statistics. Greater Manchester are making some good decisions eg. Bee Network and this industrial development will bring no positive outcome. Cutacre and Wingates are close enough to count as employment opportunities. Please do not tear up our remaining natural green area for one that is fake. Don’t ruin air quality by putting 4000+ more vehicles on the road and completely gridlocking the Talbot roundabout. We need emergency access and some days cannot even get off the Gadbury estate. How is this providing connectivity. As a carer, there are many instances of being unable to assist in good time due to gridlock in the area. J4, 5 and 6 are at capacity. Don’t ruin what is currently a great place to live.
By Anonymous
This is going to be a nightmare with the extra vehicles in the area as it gets gridlocked now. How can they propose to build warehouses at the side of residents houses with what has gone on in Astley. Shame on Wigan Council for passing these kind of developments no consideration for the constituents that they affect. Peel PR are stating they did not know there was a farm with stables that the warehouses would be directly behind taking over the grazing fields. Did they not see the site? We do not have the infrastructure for more housing in Atherton and the council have more than met their quota. We cannot get into doctors and dentist at the moment, it’s time to stop overpopulating small towns.
By JOAN HIGSON