Wigan Council approves £135m town centre masterplan

A £135m masterplan to redevelop a town centre has been approved by councillors.

Wigan Council's proposals include the creation of almost 500 homes, a hotel and a cinema in the town centre, alongside new restaurants and bars.

The development in the former Galleries shopping centre off Market Street will also feature a multimedia centre with a host of leisure facilities, it said.

Council leader David Molyneux said passing it was an "exciting milestone".

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said an initial planning application for the plan by the Labour-run authority and developers Cityheart was approved in 2021.

The newly-approved revamp will see the scheme include outdoor mini golf, a bowling alley, a zipline and a climbing wall alongside a new market hall and food courts.

Planning committee councillors gave the plans unanimous approval, with councillor Laura Flynn stating that the project would "achieve the ambition of making Wigan a 'night out' destination".

Warren Taylor, development director at Cityheart, said it would be a "transformational scheme for Wigan".

He said the multimedia centre would "help boost the local economy" by drawing people into the town and attract people of all ages to live in the area.

Mr Molyneux said it was a "really exciting milestone" in the redevelopment of the Galleries.

He said the plans showed the authority was taking "proactive steps to bring new life and opportunities to our town".

A timeframe for completion of the development has not yet been set out.

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