A STRATEGIC plan which will guide the borough's future development over the coming decades is coming into focus.
The borough’s local plan, a draft of which is currently out for public consultation will provide the framework for development for the next 15 years.
The plan points out specific sites where new homes, shops, factories, and roads can be built, highlights parks, wildlife habitats, and historic places that must be kept safe from building an looks ahead to plan for future population growth.
Once adopted, local plans provide the framework for development.
The draft of the local plan has created a stir for what has been left out, with four controversial sites removed from earlier strategic development plans.
The document greenlit for public consultation excludes development of The Bell, north of Junction 26 of the M6, the Moss Industrial Estate extension, a pocket of land West of Winwick Lane in Lowton, and the Bridgewater West allocation, which would have seen former greenbelt land in Astley allocated for a huge business park.
Those sites will no longer be up for development in the plan.
Councillor Paul Kenny, cabinet holder for planning, environmental services and transport, said the change of heart came after ‘listening to feedback’ from local communities.
He said: “We are aware of the depth of feeling surrounding these four sites. By removing them from the latest version of the local plan, we believe we have struck the right balance between supporting economic growth and protecting our environment.”
That leaves the plan with six strategic sites for housing remaining in the draft plan.
Wigan council said those have also been subject to several changes to policy following feedback.
It said that included the south of Hindley site, which proposes up to 2,000 new homes.
The changes state that a new link road must be funded and programmed before any homes are built and occupied. A full investigation and mitigation measures regarding land contamination will also be undertaken for the site.
The public consultation began on Wednesday, September 9 and runs until 5pm on Wednesday, October 21.
Here we examine the six major areas for development
Westwood Park (420 homes and employment space)
Westwood Park, around a kilometre south of the town centre has been described as ‘pivotal in shaping the town’s future’.
The borough’s draft local plan states the 58-acre brownfield site as being suitable for around 420 new homes and modern employment space.
The huge plot is previously developed as it was home to the Westwood power station, which closed in 1986.
The site is bounded by the west coast mainline railway to the east, the A49 Westwood Way with the alignment of the proposed Wigan-Hindley link
road and Westwood Lane to the south.
Westwood Flash is to the west with the Leeds-Liverpool canal and existing employment development to the north.
The majority of the site is cleared, with the exception of three buildings, of which one is Grade II listed, a substation and surface car parking near office buildings.
A further Grade II listed building, Westwood Hall, was destroyed by fire in 2022, with what remained subsequently demolished.
North Leigh Park (1,500 homes and new local centre)
With a site area of around 65 hectares, North Leigh Park is described in the plan as a ‘key brownfield site in the borough that has been despoiled by previous activities including coal mining, quarrying, tipping and sewage treatment’.
It has been partly reclaimed by nature and areas are used informally for dog walking and other activities.’
The plans states it is of limited economic and social value relative to its potential’.
The remaining land is allocated for around 1,500 homes.
The development will also include a new local centre with ‘a range of commercial uses and community facilities’ to serve the new
homes and existing residents in Westleigh, Pickley Green and the eastern end of Hindley Green, and the delivery of a link road from the
A578 Leigh Road to the A579 Atherleigh Way.
South Hindley (2,000 homes and new local centre)
The site is predominantly brownfield land, reflecting a legacy of coal mining on site.
It is approximately 121 hectares in size and it comprises open land, playing fields, footpaths, a number of small businesses and Leyland Park.
The site is split between several landowners, with Wigan council and Peel Land being the largest.
The most notable topographic features within the site are two colliery spoil heaps.
The draft plan states land at south Hindley is allocated for a ‘residential-led development and supporting infrastructure and facilities to form a sustainable
urban extension’.
Up to 2,000 homes are proposed. Development of the site will be required to deliver a new local centre, comprising a range of commercial uses and community facilities to meet local needs, and to deliver a link road from the A58 Liverpool Road to the A578 Leigh Road.
The plan states an updated masterplan for the scheme is being prepared and ‘it is anticipated that it will be determined in 2027’.
South of Atherton (270 homes)
The 20.3 hectare site is to the east of Millers Lane, less than a kilometre from Atherton town centre.
The site is a mix of brownfield and greenfield land, with a historic mining legacy, with open grassland in grazing and agricultural use.
Lodge Farm is located centrally within the site and Chanters Brook runs through, as does a public right of way linking Lodge Road to Millers Lane.
Overhead electricity lines also run across the site.
It is allocated for residential development of around 270 homes.
East of Atherton (600 homes and industrial development)
The site is 39.2 hectares and is close to the eastern edge of Atherton.
The draft plans describes the land as ‘poor semi-improved neutral grassland fields’.
The site is owned by multiple landowners including Tarleton Estates, Bellway Homes and Wigan council.
To the south of the site is the existing Chanters industrial estate.
The land is allocated for residential and employment development comprising around 600 homes and the potential extension of Chanters industrial estate to the south for industrial development.
A large part of the site is currently subject to a planning application for outline planning permission for the development of up to 550 homes.
The application was validated in August, 2025 and is pending determination.
Landgate, Ashton-in- Makerfield (550 homes)
The site is around 39 hectares of predominantly greenfield land to the south of Landgate Lane and north of Bryn Road.
The draft plan said existing character of the area is predominantly residential.
To the south east, the site is bordered by a railway line beyond which lies the South Lancashire Industrial Estate, and to the east is open land.
A green waste management business and Landgate School, which is a community special school, lie in the north-western part of the site.
Bryn Recreation ground is at the southern extent of the site and Landgate fishing ponds are located towards the north.
he land at Landgate is allocated in the draft plan for residential development of around 500 homes.
Bellway Homes will shortly be submitting a detailed planning application for residential development of the allocation.
Landgate School and the employment premises will be retained or appropriately replaced.
Development of the site will be required to extend the new road, Bryn Green Avenue, from the A49 Wigan Road through the site to the B5207 Bryn Road.
The fishing ponds on the site will be safeguarded and their settings
enhanced for recreation and wildlife.
he existing playing pitches at Bryn Recreation Ground will be retained or re-configured, and enhanced, including the provision of changing facilities and car parking.
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