A new £6 million office space which will create up to 180 jobs is set to replace the former Ince Morrisons supermarket in Wigan after plans were approved by Wigan Council.
The Elliot Group, a development company who are proposed to take over the site, will have an employment building with office use and a workshop. They will also build storage locations, a holding bay, jet wash, car parking and associated landscaping and infrastructure.
The 59-space car park will have three accessible spaces, eight electric vehicle charging points as well as six cycle spaces. The former Morrisons supermarket on Makerfield Way closed back in late 2019 and full demolition was completed in June 2021.
Read more: 'A place of vibrancy and culture': Wigan to seek status of town centre excellence
“The proposed development will contribute towards building a strong, responsive and competitive economy,” a planning statement said.
It said that the economic benefits that arise from the development are:
- The provision of a number of up to 100 FTE jobs available through the operational phase
- Up to 80 FTE construction jobs will be created
- The development has a £6,000,000 construction value
- Support for a number of other off-site employment opportunities in the building trade ranging from suppliers of building materials to architects
- An increase in expenditure in the local economy through construction and operational workers helping to support the economy in Wigan
- Provide a catalyst for smaller employment sites on the Council’s allocation to the north to come forward as it will provide confidence in the market
A number of comments were made about the development with concern over noise pollution, congestion on the roads, and a lack of a shopping facility. The developer, Makerfield Developments Limited, which forms part of the Seddon Group like the Elliot Group has said that the traffic impact would be negligible and the noise would not negatively impact the neighbours to the site.
In regard to shopping facilities they simply said that the Morrisons site closed in 2019 following a review. The site move for the Elliot Group will see them gain a larger office space than what they currently have in Salford.
Read more: Can Wigan's infrastructure cope with almost 900 new homes a year?
Read more: Licence approved at former chemists turned restaurant in Wigan despite resident objections
