Wigan shortlisted for Future High Street Fund

Wigan town centre could benefit from a multimillion-pound cash injection.

The town is among 50 areas across the country to be invited through to the second phase of the £675m Future High Streets Fund that aims to revitalise local town centres.

From improving transport and access into town centres, to converting retail units into other uses such as new homes and attracting new uses to vacant premises, the fund could see areas like Wigan benefit from up to £25 million in addition to the investment already being made.

Those successful towns will now receive up to £150,000 of new funding to work up detailed project proposals, based on their initial plans.

Wigan’s proposals are based on the vision in the Wigan Strategic Regeneration Framework and involve plans to improve the leisure and cultural offer in the town centre, while supporting existing retailers to thrive – helping to make Wigan an attractive place to live and work.

The leader of Wigan Council, Cllr David Molyneux, welcomed the announcement saying: “I’d like to thank all of our stakeholders across the community that expressed their support of our bid and helped us to put such a compelling case to government.

“If we get through this second phase this could be really exciting in contributing to the revitalisation of our town centre and the businesses who will benefit from any investment.”

The next phase of the Future High Streets Fund will involve submission of a detailed business case over the next six-nine months.

Last week New Ferry and Birkenhead, on the Wirral, announced they, too, had been shortlisted.

The news is a bonus for New Ferry following the devastating explosion that destroyed part of area in March 2017.