'Oven ready' employment site could be built just off the M6

Detailed plans have been submitted for a major employment site at a former open cast mine, near Junction 25 of the M6 at Wigan. The proposals suggest that existing public rights of way (PROW) would be 'extinguished' and replaced with new routes, including a three-metre wide bridleway.

The reserved matters planning application for the 1.1m sq ft 'Symmetry Park' includes land clearance and road construction, along with a shared pedestrian footpath and cycleway. Tritax Symmetry (Wigan) Ltd aims to make the site 'oven ready' for development so it can 'quickly respond to occupier interest in competitive regional market', reports the Manchester Evening News.

CBRE, representing Tritax, indicates there will be further applications for built development at the site. A covering letter on Wigan council's planning portal stated: "With respect to the public rights of way (PRoW) network within and immediately adjoining the site, the submitted plans show the intention to extinguish existing PRoWs which run through the centre of the site and create new ones with a three-metre bridle way specification."

It added that the new PRoWs would be screened by planting and 'bunding' [a method of shielding from water] from the main development site. Closure and creation orders are also required over the PRoWs, it said.

In 2021, the Secretary of State approved planning applications for the demolition of existing buildings and development of a logistics site following a public inquiry. The approval was granted for the construction of 1.1m sq ft of employment space, a sub-station, car parking facilities, access from the A49 roundabout, and an internal estate road.