The B&Q store in Leigh will be replaced by the town’s third Home Bargains despite previous opposition from the DIY chain.
Wigan Council has approved plans by TJ Morris Ltd, the parent company of Home Bargains, to demolish the current store on Kirkhall lane and rebuild a new superstore. B&Q will not be going any time soon though as they have agreed a new lease with the landlords of the site until 2025 and said they are ‘committed to having a store in the Leigh area’.
The chain formally opposed the plans submitted to the council last year, but were unsuccessful in their bid to stop the demolition.
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A B&Q spokesperson said: “Following the planning application that has been granted by Wigan Borough Council, B&Q has reached an agreement to extend our lease with the landlord until at least January 2025. We are committed to having a store in the Leigh area and we are currently exploring all options available to us.”
Any new Home Bargains store would be the third in Leigh - adding to the sites on Parsonage Retail park and Bradshawgate. In their planning statement, Home Bargains said that they wish to strengthen their existing presence in the borough - specifically in Leigh. “There is an existing HB store located at Bradshawgate in Leigh town centre,” the statement said. “This will be retained alongside the new store proposed at the site.
“This commitment by TJM to retain their existing store is reflected by the fact that there is a pending planning application for the part-demolition and refurbishment of the existing store on Bradshawgate. The proposed development will also retain and create jobs and will result in significant new investment – both directly and indirectly – in the local economy by maintaining the long-term economic use of an established retail location.”
TJ Morris Ltd were approached for comment by the Local Democracy Reporting service but declined to provide one.
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