Home Local News Brownfield land targeted for thousands of new homes in Wigan Borough

Brownfield land targeted for thousands of new homes in Wigan Borough

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Thousands of new homes in Wigan Borough will be built on previously developed land, new figures reveal.

Wigan Council has published its brownfield land register which identifies 130 disused sites suitable for new housing development.

The borough has a strong track record in delivering brownfield sites for housing, with almost 1,000 homes built on previously developed sites over the last two years – two-thirds of the total completed.

The 130 identified sites have the potential to accommodate 9,600 homes in the future.

Wigan Council has a 10 year ambition to deliver enough quality housing to match demand and provide jobs and economic growth for the benefit of residents.

As set out in its Economic Prospectus, the council aims to create 10,000 jobs, enable the building of 10,000 new homes and create 12,000 apprentices over the next decade.

Karl Battersby, Wigan Council’s director for economy and environment, said: “The council is committed to maximising housing delivery on previously developed sites in the borough.

“Brownfield land will make a significant contribution to addressing housing needs over the next 20 years.

“A key objective for the council is to reduce the amount of green belt release needed to meet housing needs.  The sites in the brownfield register will contribute to this need.”

Around 70 sites within the brownfield register already have planning permission, totalling around 5,400 homes, with the remainder deemed to be available, suitable and deliverable in the short to medium term.

Due to the borough’s mining and industrial past, a proportion of the brownfield sites have development constraints which need to be overcome, including contamination and mine shafts.

The council is committed to unlocking these sites and to proactively work with landowners and developers to bring these sites forward.

Wigan borough’s brownfield figures are:

  • 7 per cent of the borough’s housing land supply (2017-2035) is on brownfield sites (10,675 of 21,036 homes)
  • 8 per cent of net housing completions were on brownfield land between 1st April 2015 and 31st March 2017 (958 of 1,456 homes)

Any landowners with brownfield land available for development should contact the council.

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