A multi-million pound redevelopment in Wigan is in no danger of slowing down after the council rebuked claims the site could be left as rubble. Work on the Galleries project, which would see a hotel, 464 homes and a multimedia centre with a cinema, ten-lane bowling alley and indoor mini golf as well as new market hall with stalls, shops and offices, is now underway.
The site where the old Galleries shopping centre used to be is currently being demolished as part of the project's first phase. But concerned residents submitted a Freedom of Information request to the council after being unable to find out where the new sources of funding were coming from for the actual creation of the new central hub.
In a response from the council, they heard that ‘until prices are agreed and contracts awarded, the amount of the various funding sources cannot be quantified’. The Friends of Wigan Town Centre group said they were worried that this meant the redevelopment, post-demolition, would not go ahead.
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Wigan Council has said the site wouldn't be left as 'wasteland' - as one rumour had suggested - and confirmed that a pot of money has been set aside for the £130 million project and that contractual agreements not being officially awarded yet is ‘not unusual’.
However, a spokeswoman for The Friends of Wigan Town Centre feared that due to spiralling costs the town centre could still be 'heading towards a position like Stoke with a demolition wasteland in the centre of town'.
“Officers and members have misled citizens by showing them unfunded plans, leading them to believe that is what they are going to get, when really the plan is to turn the town centre into a housing estate to generate council tax income," they claimed.
“Soaring inflation, rising interest rates, supply chain and demand issues. Plus, the increasing national government's concern about Chinese investment in the UK.
"All of these factors will potentially make it more difficult to attract investors into a market town. If the Galleries site is demolished before any firm financial backing is in place, potentially there will be a huge vacant plot in the town centre which may detract other investors in the rest of the town, Grand Arcade and Standishgate.”
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The council said in their response to the FOI that prices in the construction industry have increased, with material costs soaring. Nevertheless, they say they remain confident and committed to delivering the hub, which they hope can provide a "vibrant new retail, leisure, commercial and residential destination in the heart of the town centre - transforming Wigan town centre into a vibrant, attractive and accessible place to live, work and visit".
Aidan Thatcher, director of growth and economy at Wigan Council, said: “Purchasing the Galleries in 2018 has given us an opportunity to redevelop an important, underused part of the town centre, creating a more sustainable model for the future. Our defensive retail strategy is crucial for the survival of Wigan town centre and we understand that doing nothing is simply not an option based on current trends.
“In 2021 we were successful in securing £16m through the Future High Streets Fund which will support the redevelopment of the Galleries. In addition to this, funding has been earmarked through our capital programme and private sources. Furthermore, in June 2021 the Council signed a long-term strategic development agreement with Cityheart, who are the appointed delivery partner for all phases of the scheme – demonstrating our commitment to delivering the scheme.
“Works are already underway on site to deliver the first phases of this exciting, multi-phase mixed-use redevelopment for the benefit of Wigan, our businesses and our residents. Phasing contract and financial agreements like this is not unusual and I can assure residents that as a key priority for Wigan Council we are committed to delivering the Galleries redevelopment as efficiently and effectively as possible to safeguard our town’s future.”
The council, in a bid to maintain town centre trade during construction, have recently brought in ‘specialists in market management, animation and activation’ PlaceCo to help drive footfall and assist existing market traders as they wait for their new home in the Galleries redevelopment site.
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