Wigan seeks cash to renovate Wallgate
COUNCILLORS in Wigan are hoping to win a £1.2m lottery grant to help fund improvements to the Wallgate area of the town centre.
The authority wants to spend £2.4m renovating buildings and making improvements to public areas as part of a five-year programme it says will create new uses for vacant premises and increase footfall in the town.
It says the funding balance of 1.2m will come from a, “variety of other sources”.
The council must submit its bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund by May 5 but councillors considering the plan at a cabinet meeting last week could not agree on the proposal.
A spokesman said the maps printed to illustrate the boundaries of the regeneration area were unclear. New versions are now being printed and the proposal will be considered again at another cabinet meeting this week.
An agenda document detailing the plan states: “Securing funding to implement the Wallgate THI [townscape heritage initiative] will help secure the long term future of the conservation area by assisting investment in the building stock, and help create new uses for vacant premises.
“It will also help to preserve and enhance the public realm within the town centre, and create a safer more inclusive environment. This is a unique opportunity to obtain substantial external funding for this part of Wigan town centre, and improve the environment in this key gateway into the town centre. Improvement of the environment in this area may increase footfall and opportunities for businesses to benefit from this.”
