Wigan Galleries overhaul takes step forward
Developers Cityheart and BCEGI are seeking public feedback on their planned £135m revamp of the shopping centre, comprising 464 homes, a six-screen cinema and a150-bedroom hotel.
The joint venture, known as Galleries 25, was appointed to redevelop the 440,000 sq ft town centre retail complex into a mixed-use scheme last year, as revealed by Place North West.
Cityheart and Beijing Construction Engineering Group International beat off competition from regeneration specialists Muse Developments, and a partnership between Maple Grove Developments and Urban Splash to secure the Wigan job.
The vision for the Galleries has been designed by JM Architects to deliver a vibrant place to live, work, play and visit, according to the JV.
The plans include leisure facilities such as a multiscreen cinema, a 10-lane bowling alley, new food and drink outlets, and indoor mini golf. A pavilion off Market Street is to be built, which will host new food and drink establishments and evening entertainment.
The first phase of the Galleries project will feature an arthouse cinema
A new market hall is to be delivered as well, featuring traditional market stalls, retail units, co-working spaces, small offices and a food hall.
Construction is due to start next year and complete by 2025. The virtual public consultation will run until Tuesday 1 June.
The Galleries is an example of an emerging development trend whereby councils are increasingly taking ownership of ageing retail assets before teaming up with the private sector to redevelop them.
Wigan council bought the Galleries from Luxembourg-based firm Colcastor in March 2018 before appointing Galleries 25, while Sefton Council acquired the Strand in Bootle from St Modwen and is working up redevelopment proposals.
In Oldham, the council bought the 450,000 sq ft Spindles earlier this year and is engaging with developers and in Prestwich, Bury Council is working with Muse to draw up plans for the revamp of Longfield Shopping Centre, which it plans to buy from Hollins Murray.
Will be interesting to see how much subsidy the Council have to provide to make this viable and just how much risk is being taken by the private sector partners.
By Loveit
Wonderful news about plans for the Galleries it’s been a depressing eyesore for a long time now here’s to a successful rejuvenation!
By Eileen Blackburn
Where are all the market traders going to trade? There aren’t enough spaces in this plan for all of them. We are a market town. This council has treated local businesses shabbily for years. They’re a disgrace and have killed our town.
By Christine Dunphy
I hope as the remaining shops move out of the Galleries that they occupy the empty shops in Mesnes St and breath some life into it
By Pat Blundell
Different parts of Wigan have been built and each time shops have moved and left another part of Wigan derelict,,if the council brought the rent down for shops they would be filled…Building another bowling alley is daft we already have one,don’t need two..The same with building another cinema!We also have enough hotels in Wigan,,yes Wigan needs an overhaul,but so far it’s been left too long and wiganers have lost faith in the town centre
By Louise winstanley
When I go to Wigan I want to go to shops not see more houses more hotels and leisure facilities
By Dawnnelson
Great news about investment in the town centre. The pandemic has started a culture challenge and It needs to continue in the town centre. Drinking culture out! (sorry to some) Entertainment culture in. We need to bring the local people who are now travelling elsewhere for their shopping and entertainment needs to come back to the town centre and spend their money in the local community. We need a ‘Trafford Centre’ style shopping complex and an ‘Entertainment Hub’. For this to be successful we would need, dare I say free! open space parking. I suggest to flatten an area (triangle) from the Market Hall – Gala – Riley’s snooker bar (not sure if they are still called that!) this giving access to free parking for new Shoppers, Wigan Little Theatre and Wigan Park. We currently have great transport links to also help with this. So much more can be done.
Think big and do bigger!
By Kevin Roberts
What a ridiculous plan. The most congested town known to man with hardly any parking as it is! Where are all these new people going to park? All this will do sadly is create new problems and the town centre will be over run with youths causing trouble after dark. Wigan really has gone to pot. Our poor market has already gone I really hate going into Wigan now.
By Kagster
Has anyone consulted with local estate agents about how the housing/apartment market is going
By G Howell