Demolition is set to begin as part of a redevelopment plan in Wigan town centre.
Developer Cityheart and Wigan Council have signed demolition agreements with construction partner BCEGI to kickstart a multi-million pound regeneration project in the centre of the town. Demolition works are set to start immediately as part of a £135m redevelopment of the former Galleries shopping centre.
The demolition works' first phase is set to take around 18 months, with the majority of buildings being knocked down to the ground in this time. Work will begin on the ground, preparing the site for new buildings, as demolition moves across the area in order to speed up the timeline of the project.
After the former shopping centre has been knocked down, the massive regeneration plan will see new leisure, retail, and residential facilities built in the town centre, with the first prepared plot earmarked for the site of the new market hall, set to open in 2024. The existing market hall and Makinson Arcade will remain open for business throughout the development.
Leader of Wigan Council, Councillor David Molyneux, said: “I’m pleased to see work officially starting on the Galleries and look forward to seeing the development progress over the next few years. This project is critical for the future of the town centre, with additional leisure and residential opportunities helping to attract more customers.
“We have seen the impact online shopping and the current cost of living crisis is having on town centres across the country and I’m pleased that we have a plan to reverse that decline and to make Wigan a thriving and vibrant town centre where people will choose to live, work, study and visit.”
Building is set to begin in 2023, with the existing Wigan market due to be demolished once the new market hall is operational. A hotel, 464 homes, and a multimedia centre with a cinema, ten-lane bowling alley, and indoor mini golf are all set to be built at the site, which has been called the Galleries 25 project by those involved.
Planning permission for the major redevelopment was approved back in November 2021, despite some objection from local residents. Many market traders were against the move, saying they feared they wouldn't fit into the "gentrified" facility. Thousands signed a petition calling for the development to be halted, but plans are going ahead.
Warren Taylor, Director of Cityheart, added: “We have been working very closely with Wigan Council, the local retailers and the indoor and outdoor market traders, to ensure that the existing market hall can remain open and able to trade throughout the demolition works, similarly that neighbouring Makinson Arcade is kept open through all of the planned works. We are also set to launch an extensive marketing campaign with new signage and way finding, this will commence with the extensive site hoarding which will in effect wrap around most of the site for the duration of the works, revealing our journey for this redevelopment.
“The redevelopment of this mixed-use scheme will bring significant economic, social and environmental benefits to the town of Wigan and dramatically transform its landscape, which is crucial to its future success. In partnership with Wigan Council, we are delighted to have achieved this next significant milestone allowing us to deliver our promised vision, which will breathe new life in to the town and create a stronger community.”
Aaron Adams, Construction Director of BCEGI, said: “We are delighted to be starting the demolition phase of the Galleries project. This phase paves the way for construction to start in 2023. This is a very complex and challenging element of work that has been meticulously planned to cause minimum disruption. In keeping with BCEGI’s sustainability policies we will be reusing a large amount of material from the demolition within the new scheme to reduce the environmental impact of the development.
"We have been working alongside various organisations such as Wigan and Leigh College and Wigan Youth Zone to ensure that much needed opportunities for apprenticeships and training are provided and have several students already gaining valuable on-site work experience. We have also through our Meet the Buyer events met with many local companies that we hope will benefit from the project.”
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