Wigan to commission beefed up vision for station gateway
Aimed at enhancing the area around the town centre’s two train stations, the delivery framework will identify opportunities for 800 homes and 200,000 sq ft of workspace.
Wigan Council is seeking to appoint a multidisciplinary team to draw up a framework for the station gateway and King Street.
King Street is described in tender documents as a “declining nightlife area”. The vision is to transform it into a “vibrant cultural, residential and leisure destination” with a redeveloped Royal Court Theatre as its anchor.
Land parcels within the area could accommodate between 700 and 800 homes, 200,000 sq ft of workspace, a hotel, and a 400-space multi-storey car park, according to the brief.
The station gateway and King Street area is one of eight distinct zones set out in the Wigan Town Centre Strategic Regeneration Framework, adopted in 2019.
The commission will build on a high-level masterplan identifying land opportunities in the area that was drafted by Hawkins\Brown. It should “create a compelling investment narrative and identify and prioritise development opportunities”, the brief states.
The study area is within the boundaries of Library Street, Caroline Street, and River Way/Chapel Lane and incorporates the triangular plot west of Wallgate that is currently used for car parking.
As well as Wigan Council, the appointed team would work with Network Rail, Platform 4, TfGM, and GMCA as project partners.
The deadline for responses is midday on 16 October. The opportunity can be viewed here.
