Wigan uses homes to fund £80m road vision

WIGAN is aiming to link up the M61 and the M6 through a series of new road projects by using major housing schemes to help pull in £80m.

The town needs to deliver 1,000 homes a year until 2026, up on the current annual average of around 400.

It wants to use this requirement to deliver roads that will ease congestion in a town that prides itself on its proximity to major routes, such as the M61, M60, M58 and the A580 East Lancs Road.

From east to west the plans involve: The North Leigh link road where 1,800 homes have been approved; 2,500 homes at a Peel site in Hindley with another road; The Amberswood link road; the A49 link through Westwood to junction 25 of the M6 attached to 450 homes; and the M58 link road.

Steve Normington, the council’s director of economy, said: “We’re the only district in Manchester that connects to the M6 direct but also links to the M61 through the Cutacre [former colliery] site. All of these schemes are facilitated by the opportunity of major housing developments.

“There’s a total cost £80m – a combination of public and private sector finance – with about £36m from the Department for Transport, £3m-4m from the council, and the rest from the private sector. For example, with Westwood we said ‘you can have the land, we just want a road’.”

He added: “Housing sites are strategic and can deliver infrastructure investment, and deliver infrastructure change.”

The developments are part of the council’s core strategy which sets out development targets for business, skills, employment and housing for the next 12 years. Wigan sees transport as a major factor in its future economic prosperity and last year carried out £12m improvements to the notorious Saddle Junction and has secured £16m for a revamp of the town’s bus station. Work is also underway on the £76m Leigh Guided Busway.

Deputy council leader David Molyneux told TheBusinessDesk.com: “We have big employers like Heinz and Wincanton and transport issues are very much on their mind. A lot of what Steve’s team put together is following discussions with our business partners. We’ve had very good feedback on the changes at Saddle Junction from local and national busineses and it has speeded up journey times.

“Wigan people have opinions on pies and traffic. If you get a taxi you’ll find that. But we’re slowly and surely getting round the traffic. We’ve now got deliverables, they’re not just ambitions.”

He added: “Heinz employs 800 people and to retain that depends on us creating a transport structure that allows them to distribute the goods all over the country.”

The key sites in Wigan’s roads plan (east to west)

North Leigh

Developer North Leigh Park group, a subsidiary of Longport, has outline planning permission for 1,800 homes and detailed planning for a road which is forecast to cost £7.5m.
 
South of Hindley

Initial work has started on a planning application for 2,500 homes at a site owned by the council and Peel. The road link road would cost £17.5m.
 
Amberswood link road

This would be delivered in two phases. The first £3.5m stretch is not linked to a housing scheme and would be paid for by the council. The second is associated with a 300-house St Modwen plan that is currently being worked up. It would run through to the council’s site at an access road called Phoenix Way south of the town in Ince-in-Makerfield where it is exploring opportunities for social housing.
 
Westwood

There is outline planning consent for 450 homes on the derelict site of the former Westwood power station and detailed planning for a £21.5m highway scheme. The former railway line will become a new access route into the town centre, linking the A49 at Goose Green to the top of Poolstock, and then onto the existing dual carriageway on Riverway. The council says it is still in discussion with development partners.  
 
M58 link

This is a £12m road funded by central Government through devolved funds to the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities. No homes are involved and it uses council owned land. A planning application is being worked up.