The whole of the site extends to 150 acres (60ha), or thereabouts and the majority is held within our client’s ownership. The site has been Safeguarded for future development under saved Policy GB2 of the Replacement Wigan Unitary Development Plan (UDP).

Acland Bracewell’s instructions has involved a long-term strategic approach to this development. Having promoted the site as a sustainable location through the Wigan Core Strategy, the site has been identified in Wigan Council’s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) as delivering 1,250 dwellings during the plan period.

Following extensive community engagement with local community groups, local stakeholders and the local planning authority, co-ordinating and managing both technical and planning consultants, an outline planning application was submitted for 830 dwellings, with all matters reserved other than access. Significant technical work has been undertaken to inform and support the application, particularly as the site is previously developed ‘brownfield’ land. Further detailed economic work was also undertaken to establish the Council’s 5-year housing supply position.

The application has successfully received a resolution to grant outline planning permission, subject to the completion of the s.106 agreement, which commits to deliver circa, £5 million in commuted sums, including education (£2 million), offsite recreation (£860,000), and infrastructure improvements (£1 million. Through significant collaborative work with the local community and local planning authority, these sums have been specifically identified and allocated towards local projects and the development overall will help to deliver Wigan’s housing need over the plan period and beyond.

The whole of the site has been master-planned in separate phases and Acland Bracewell are instructed to market the first phase (120 dwellings) for sale.