Wigan’s £45m restoration of Haigh Hall tipped to progress
The refurbishment of the grade two star-listed building into a new “nationally significant” cultural destination for the borough could take a major step forward next week despite objections from the Victorian Society and Georgian Group.
Featuring event space, art galleries, overnight accommodation, office space, food and beverage provision, and education space, the reinvention of Haigh Hall, a former stately home in the park of the same name, has long been a priority of Wigan Council.
The authority took ownership of Haigh Hall in 2021 following a high court battle with its former owner and the council submitted its long-awaited plans to bring the building into public use last November.
Next week, the council’s planning committee is set to approve the proposals and pave the way for the creation of the £45m mixed-use arts and culture facility.
Situated within 250 acres of Haigh Woodland Park, around eight kilometres from Wigan town centre, the redevelopment of Haigh Hall would provide the following:
- An art gallery featuring a collection from local artist Theodore Major worth a reported £200m
- Workshop space
- Visitor shop
- Wedding and events space
- Café, bar, and restaurant facilities
- 10 bedrooms for event guests
- 430 more parking spaces
Wigan Council believes the project could be a “nationally significant” cultural destination.
Historic England, which had placed Haigh Hall on its at-risk register, has “warmly welcomed” the proposals, according to a report to Wigan Council’s planning committee.
However, the Victorian Society and Georgian Group have objected to the plans. Both citied concerns about plans for an upward extension and a rooftop bar and are worried about how sympathetic the conversion project is.
The scheme is being led by project manager Atkins Realis, with Purcell on board as the architect with Witherford Watson Mann. Cundall submitted the plans to Wigan Council. Others on the project team include Urban Green and Exterior Architecture.
The application can be viewed using the planning reference number A/25/099945/MAJOR on Wigan Council’s planning portal.
Waste of money
By Anonymous
What have they been doing to Haigh Hall for the last 18 months if this is just now getting ‘tipped’ to progress?
By Dr Wrongun
They must have spent the money on moving it – Atherton, Haydock, Skem & Chorley are 8km from Wigan Town centre! I can chuck a pie from ‘Spoons to Haigh Hall!
By Anonymous
@Dr Wrongun The first phase was the external restoration, a new roof and undoing some of the stuff the Spa business did like fitting historically inappropriate windows, the second phase is the internal restoration and fitout as an art gallery/wedding venue as well as adding a rooftop terrace and larger kitchen facilities.
By WatcherZero
It’s okay the council doing all what they are proposing. What happened last time was supposed to be a good thing. What a disaster that was. The ground out the front look stupid with the white lines down it. Everyone are waiting for airplanes getting ready to land. Where are the 430 extra parking spaces going. Is all the grass at the front and all the way down to the train track/pond area going to be taken up and turned into parking]? How much more outside space are the residents of Wigan going to lose. Everyone will be walking and having to dodge cars/coaches etc. It should stay vehicle free apart from haigh country park staff. People visiting Haigh Hall should be able to relax and enjoy the woods/park and surrounding area without being told to move you are in the way or being barred from certain areas because their is a wedding on and they want it private. I hope that they enjoy dirty dogs and kids on bikes having fun. That is what they will get. That is what the plantations and Haigh Hall grounds is all about. Having free outdoor space and fun.
By Anonymous
Tell the Victorian society etc to go away.
If it was up to them the country would be littered with unusable derelict buildings..
They stand in the way of making them useful for no real reason.
By Brian
Thanks W.Z. Thought I must’ve dreamt the huge white tent over the place..!
Agree that the ‘Societies’ sound like they haven’t figured out that old buildings don’t somehow self-preserve, and no, they shouldn’t all be green-lit to be turned into Walkabout Bars but they need to be put to some use that generates income for an interested party with the coin to save them or they’ll end up as rubble piles instead of Stately Piles.
By Dr Wrongun
45m ? Where do they get these numbers from ? I could knock it down and build it for less !
By Colwon88
I think it’s an amazing idea, hopefully it will go ahead despite the objections.
By Anonymous
Wonderful work by all those involved, particularly Lawrence Hunt
By Janet Marsh
Where’s all the cultural significance that willl attract everyone? Apart from the art gallery that people might visit once, it’s a wedding venue with yet another cafe and a car park. Meanwhile Wigan Music Service is scratching around in a school gym in Hindley and arranging most rehearsals for Wigan children in Newton le Willows which isn’t even in the Borough! But that’s culture for you.
By Anonymous
This all sounds fabulous, but how can this be nationally signifant culturally when the only cultural feature is an art gallery. What about a live music venue?
By JB