UPDATE: |A blueprint for homes, jobs, transport and welfare in Greater Manchester town for the next 15 years News

People will have the chance to get their say in eight-week consultation

Town hall bosses in Wigan are set to consult the public on a blueprint for housing development, jobs, transport and the welfare of its residents for the next 15 years.

Included in the draft Local Plan is the target to deliver 16,527 new homes in ‘the right locations’ by 2039, with the ‘right amount of affordable housing’ and ‘balancing’ the interests of neighbouring residents with the provision of houses of multiple occupation (HMOs).

Such a housing policy would mean an average of 972 homes a year would be delivered.

Another of its objectives is to ‘raise the economic profile’ of the borough with new high-quality employment sites in the M6, the A580 (East Lancs Road), and the Wigan-Bolton growth corridors.

The draft plan identifies six sites which are key to housing delivery. They are North Leigh Park (1,400 homes) , South Hindley (2,000 homes) , the remaining land south of Atherton (320 homes), land east of Atherton (600 homes), remaining land at Landgate, Ashton-in-Makerfield (400 homes) and Westwood Park, Wigan (420 homes).

It covers the mix of housing types, the housing growth in Standish and its relationship to the village’s Neighbourhood Plan, HMOs, accommodation for gypsies and travellers – with a proposed site at Little Lane, Pemberton – homes for looked after children, and places for travelling show people.

The development of employment sites across the borough also figures strongly in the plan.

This includes the allocation for ‘substantial, high-quality employment development’ in the M6 corridor and a link road from junction 26 to Spring Road at Kitt Green; Moss Industrial Estate extension; Aspull Common, Leigh, where an extension to an existing employment area is proposed; a mixed development of homes, business park and visitor attractions at Bridgewater West, Astley.

On land west of Winwick Lane, Lowton, there a plans for employment development in the M6 corridor as part of the proposed cross-boundary Parkside East strategic freight rail interchange and logistics site.

The draft plan is designed to link with Greater Manchester’s Places for Everyone Plan (PfE) which was approved a year ago and also covers the period until 2039.

Currently, 55.7 per cent of Wigan – some 26,000 acres – is covered by Green Belt. If all the industrial sites are approved, the remaining Green Belt would reduced by 600 acres, taking the green allocation down to 54pc.

A report accompanying the plan speaks of ‘risks’. “They primarily concern the proposals to release Green Belt land to create more job opportunities in the borough.

“This is likely to prompt strong opposition, primarily from people who live locally to a site. “We are working with the media and communications team to help get the right messages out at the right times and in the right ways.”

The draft plan also targets regeneration and improving town centres across the borough by ‘supporting a diverse range of uses and attractions’, including shops, leisure and culture, mixing in residential areas.

It also targets creating a ‘sustainable and accessible’ transport system where walking, wheeling cycling and public transport are ‘the first and natural choices for most people, particularly for shorter journeys’.

The council’s cabinet is poised to rubber-stamp the campaign to engage with the local population when it meets on Thursday to discuss the plan.

It will be the third and final stage of public consultations which started three years ago and it will be ongoing for eight weeks from April 30 to June 24.

Copies of the document will be available via a dedicated webpage on Wigan council’s website and on paper in libraries at Golborne, Lamberhead Green, Leigh, Tyldesley and Wigan.

Seven drop-in sessions will take place from 2pm to 7pm at Pemberton, Golborne, Tyldesley or Astley, Leigh, Hindley, Atherton and Ashton-in-Makerfield where people will have the chance to discuss the issues with planners and other town hall officials.

Final submissions on the plan will be made by May next year. The plan will be a public examination in the autumn of 2026, and it will be finally adopted in January 2027.