WS27 - Appendix 2 (.PDF, 232KB) - Wigan Council

Our ref 

EiP/PJ Ltr1 

Mr Mike Worden 

Head of Planning & Transport 

Places Directorate 

Wigan Council 

PO Box 100 

Wigan 

WN1 3DS 

13 Fitzroy Street 

London W1T 4BQ 

United Kingdom 

t +44 020 636 1531 

d +44 020 7752346 

paul.jarvis@arup.com 

www.arup.com 

4 November 2011 

Dear Mr Worden 

Wigan Core Strategy Examination 

Response to Inspector's Note Regarding Concerns Over Submission 

Further to the recent email from Ms Rachel Huxtable (Programme Officer, Wigan LDF 

Core Strategy Development Plan Document) on 17 October 2011, please find enclosed a 

statement on behalf of my client North Leigh Park Group Limited. 

The statement responds to a number of matters raised by the Inspector in relation to 

concerns regarding the potential soundness of the submitted Core Strategy. The 

statement provides an overview of the historical and recent involvement of North Leigh 

Park Group Limited in Wigan and reaffirms support for the allocation of North Leigh as a 

key strategic site as well as the Council’s policy in focusing the majority of new 

development in the east‐west core of the Borough. 

The statement is also submitted to assist the Inspector’s understanding of the long term 

partnership working of North Leigh Park Group Limited, the Council and other partners 

since September 2008 in respect of the deliverability of the site. The statement notes that 

North Leigh Park Group Limited has significant experience in assessing the viability of and 

delivering regeneration schemes with significant initial development costs and remains 

firmly of the view that North Leigh is a viable and deliverable regeneration scheme. 

Ove Arup & Partners Ltd | Registered in England & Wales 

Registered Number: 1312453 | Registered Address: 13 Fitzroy Street London W1T 4BQ

EiP/PJ Ltr1 

4 November 2011 Page 2 of 2 

Yours sincerely 

Paul Jarvis 

Associate Director 

ENC 

cc 

North leigh Park Group Limited Statement 

Mr Charles Billson ‐ Chairman


North Leigh Park Group Limited 

Response to Inspector’s note regarding concerns over soundness 

Content 

1. Executive Summary 

2. North Leigh Park Group Limited 

3. North Leigh Strategic Allocation Site 

4. Site Viability 

5. Conclusion 

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1. Executive Summary 

1.1 This statement is submitted by North Leigh Park Group Limited (‘NLPGL’), part of 

the Long Port Group (LPG). 

1.2 NLPGL is the freeholder of approximately 29 hectares of land within the key 

strategic site at North Leigh which is proposed to be allocated by Policy SP3 ‘a 

key strategic site – North Leigh Park’ of the draft Core Strategy. 

1.3 NLPGL is the single largest landowner within the key strategic site and a key 

stakeholder which will play a central role in the delivery of development within 

this key strategic site. 

1.4 LPG and its Chairman, Charles Billson, have extensive experience in successfully 

undertaking community based regeneration projects involving the 

redevelopment of inner city and brown field derelict sites with complex 

environmental and infrastructure issues. 

1.5 LPG also has historical involvement within the borough of Wigan with earlier 

regeneration being predominantly focused on the remediation and 

redevelopment of a former deep mining site on Gibfield Park. 

1.6 NLPGL firmly supports the principle of the allocation of North Leigh as a key 

strategic site within the draft Core Strategy. Work to date shows that the 

development of the site is viable and is capable of delivering the quantum of 

housing and associated infrastructure proposed under Policy SP3. 

1.7 NLPGL will continue to promote the strategic site at North Leigh for mixed use 

development and will continue with the preparation of a planning application for 

submission in early 2012. 

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2. North Leigh Park Group Limited 

2.1 About North Leigh Park Group Limited 

2.1.1 North Leigh Park Group Limited (NLPGL) is the major landowner of the 

application site, North Leigh Park (NLP). NLPGL is part of the Long Port Group 

(LPG) which undertakes property regeneration, development and community 

investment in the UK and the Channel Islands. The Long Port Group employs 30 

employees including surveyors, architects, property lawyers and other property 

professionals. 

2.1.2 The Chairman of the Long Port Group, Charles Billson, is a property regenerator, 

developer and investor, specialising in social and community based urban 

regeneration involving the redevelopment of inner city and brown field derelict 

sites, dealing with complex issues of planning, environmental problems, 

engineering, infrastructure, construction, funding and investment. 

2.1.3 Via various companies, Charles Billson has undertaken a number of regeneration 

projects including the regeneration of the 278 acre Gibfield Park Site, previously 

a derelict open‐cast and deep coal mine with 57 mine shafts. This is located less 

than a mile from North Leigh and was successfully regenerated by Gibfield Park 

Group (GPG), a sister company of NLPGL, to deliver infrastructure, employment, 

housing, community facilities and public open space. 

2.2 Historical and recent involvement in Wigan 

2.2.1 LPG has not only been involved in NLP within the borough of Wigan. Previous 

regeneration in the borough has mainly been focussed on Gibfield Park (see the 

attached Gibfield Before and After Presentation). Gibfield Park was a site 

previously scarred by industrial activity over a period of more than 100 years. 

Previous activities on the site included deep mining, the deposit of vast 

quantities of contaminated mining spoil, a brick works with clay extraction, 

tipping of brick work waste, dangerous deep open cast coal mining and the 

installation of a major high pressure gas transmission pipeline. 

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2.2.2 During the regeneration of the 278 acres at Gibfield Park site, the following 

problems were addressed: 

2.2.2.1 Derelict mine workings; 

2.2.2.2 Flooded open cast void which was a serious danger to life; 

2.2.2.3 Uncontrolled fly tipping; 

2.2.2.4 Abandoned mining machinery; 

2.2.2.5 Polluted mine discharge; 

2.2.2.6 Unstable ground; 

2.2.2.7 Degraded landscape; 

2.2.2.8 Un‐restored colliery tips; 

2.2.2.9 Dangerous joy riding; and 

2.2.2.10 Abandoned vehicles. 

2.2.3 The regeneration of Gibfield Park has included: 

2.2.3.1 The remediation of Gadbury Fold and restoration of the former Bag Lane 

Open Cast Colliery site ‐ £10m; 

2.2.3.2 The specialist removal and treatment of contaminated soils (arsenic and 

benzo‐a‐pyrene) ‐ £100k; 

2.2.3.3 The construction of a site gateway roundabout on Wigan Road and North 

Road ‐ £2m; 

2.2.3.4 The construction of strategic link road and services infrastructure ‐ £5m; 

2.2.3.5 The construction of 600 new homes ‐ £85m; 

2.2.3.6 The creation of a 125 acre Community Country Park ‐ £1.5m; 

2.2.3.7 The construction of 9,000 ft² Knowledge Based Industry office 

development ‐ £1m; 

2.2.3.8 The construction of the Guide Dogs UK regional dog training centre ‐ 

£12m; 

2.2.3.9 The construction of ROK The Quad office park, industrial starter units and 

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency Test Centre‐ £20m; and 

2.2.3.10 The creation of jobs in the Wigan area. 

2.3 Wider regeneration role elsewhere 

2.3.1 Charles Billson has also undertaken numerous regeneration and community 

investment projects across the UK. 

2.3.2 Most notably in 1994, he was instrumental in raising over £100 million of funding 

following the closure of the deep mines which formed the heart of the Cannock 

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community. Mr Billson (in a voluntary capacity) was chairman of the resulting 

Cannock Gateway Project which invested the funding that had been raised back 

into the community. He held this position until the successful completion of the 

project, some 10 years later (see the attached Cannock Gateway Brochure) 

delivering a 150,000 sq ft manufacturing and distribution warehouse, 150,000 sq 

ft of retail warehouse units and a state of the art car retail facility with 14,000 sq 

ft of showroom. He was also Deputy Chairman, in a voluntary capacity, of an 

adjoining regeneration initiative in Rugeley, The Trent Challenge, where £35 

million was invested (see the attached Trent Challenge Brochure). 

2.3.3 Further regeneration projects across the UK undertaken by Mr. Billson and his 

companies include: 

2.3.3.1 Bentley Bridge, Wolverhampton 

This 25 year large scale regeneration project involved the comprehensive 

restoration and remediation of 137 acres (55ha) of former industrial land 

which included a steel foundry, copper alloy production facility, metals 

finishing plant, household and industrial waste disposal sites and a 

colliery and a paint and ink works, to create a mixed use scheme creating 

£250 million on and £250 million off site investment. This included the 

construction of over 1.5km of major highway infrastructure and delivery 

of 150,000 sq ft of leisure orientated facilities, 66,000 sq ft of food retail, 

150 residential housing units and a 15 acres B1,B2 and B8 business park. 

2.3.3.2 Dawley Park, Hayes, Middlesex 

This 15 acre (6 ha) derelict radar production plant site, contaminated with 

radioactive waste and fly‐tipping site, was transformed into 350,000 sq ft 

of office, industrial and logistics space. 

2.3.3.3 Middleton, Manchester 

The 10 acre site at Middleton was formerly a chemical works which was 

remediated and developed into a state of the art car retailing facility and 

technical workshop unit. 

2.3.3.4 Wyrley Brook Park, Cannock 

The 24 acre site was a former calcium silicate brickworks, marl hole and 

aluminium smelting works. The site was comprehensively remediated to 

create employment in the area in the form of a 150,000 sq ft 

manufacturing and distribution warehouse, 150,000 sq ft of retail 

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warehouse units and a state of the art car retail facility with a 14,000 sq ft 

show room. 

2.3.3.5 Newport Retail Park, Newport, Gwent 

A former steel plant where the land was extensively filled with slag, 

underwent comprehensive remediation and redevelopment to allow for 

the creation of employment through the development of a car dealer ship 

and a 40,000 sq ft Matalan retail store. 

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3. North Leigh Strategic Allocation site 

3.1 The Site Context 

3.1.1 The North Leigh site was brought into the National Coalfields Programme as one 

of the 107 former coalfield sites throughout the country that could benefit from 

public sector intervention. The Programme is managed at a national level by the 

Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). Historically the 78.5 hectare site has 

been used for quarrying, landfill, coal mining and waste water treatment works. 

However, at present the site is currently a ‘wasteland’ post‐industrial area, 

having had little or no formal use for some decades. The site is blighted by 

contamination and potentially dangerous former coal mine shafts. 

3.2 North Leigh Site Ownership 

3.2.1 The ownership of the site is in the main divided into three land ownerships: 

 

 

 

North Leigh Park Group Ltd (NLPGL) 

Wigan Council and 

Peel Holdings Limited 

NLPGL are the largest single landowner within the Key Strategic Site area and 

have agreement in principle with Wigan Council to bring forward their land as 

part of the regeneration project. NLPGL have also agreed an arrangement with 

Peel Holdings Limited in order to bring the site forward in a comprehensive 

manner. 

3.2.2 As described in section 2 of this statement, NLPGL has been actively involved in 

regeneration in Wigan for many years and has been working with Wigan Council 

and other partners since 2008 to achieve the viable redevelopment of this site. It 

is important that this pre‐application process continues and the strategic 

allocation secured in order to ensure early delivery on‐site. 

3.2.3 NLPGL is committed to building upon recent investment in the wider Leigh area 

by the Long Port Group at Gibfield Park and in their contributions to social and 

community development initiatives linked to this. Thus, in 2008, NLPGL together 

with English Partnerships, Wigan Council and Peel Holdings Limited 

commissioned the preparation of the North Leigh Feasibility and Delivery Report. 

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The purpose of this report was to form the basis of a mixed use masterplan 

which responded to the key constraints and opportunities of North Leigh. 

3.2.4 A significant amount of work was therefore completed to inform the production 

of the feasibility report and associated delivery strategy. Critical issues such as 

the need and cost of remediation and transport infrastructure provision were 

fully considered at the outset together with commercial viability. It was 

recognised from the early stages that in order to achieve a commercially viable 

scheme a residential led mixed use scheme would be necessary. An element of 

employment, focused on local market needs, together with retail provision to 

service the residential and employment uses were also seen as necessary 

components of the development. 

3.3 The role of North Leigh in achieving Wigan Council’s Spatial Strategy 

3.3.1 The draft Wigan Core Strategy recognises that multiple deprivation is a serious 

issue facing the wards in and around the site – namely Leigh, Hindley and Abram. 

Within Leigh, multiple deprivation is particularly severe in Westleigh, Park 

Lane/Crankwood, Higher Folds, Central Leigh and Siddow Common, which are 

some of the most deprived neighbourhoods in England. 

3.3.2 NLPGL recognise that, as the freeholder of approximately 29 hectares of land 

within the key strategic site at North Leigh, it is a key stakeholder in the area and 

has a responsibility to play a central role in the delivery of development on‐site 

as well as the wider regeneration of the area. As such, NLPGL supports the 

Council’s aspirations and spatial vision including the priority to ‘ Ensure new 

development provides a catalyst to uplift communities in the east‐west core 

traditionally suffering from social, economic and environmental deprivation.’ 

3.3.3 The Council is seeking to focus the majority of development in the 'east‐west 

core' of the borough and acknowledges that tackling economic and social 

deprivation issues must be led by private sector investment in partnership with 

the people of the borough, Wigan Council and other agencies. 

3.3.4 NLPGL firmly supports this approach and strategy to tackling deprivation through 

development in the east‐west core regeneration corridor and is therefore 

partnering with Wigan Council to provide new housing development in this ‘eastwest’ 

core. NLPGL is bringing forward the development of the North Leigh key 

strategic site in accordance with the Council’s spatial strategy and draft Core 

Strategy policies (including Policy SP3 ‘A key strategic site – North Leigh Park’ and 

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Policy CP6 ‘Housing’) and will bring forward the phased delivery of housing and 

other uses in the early years of the Core Strategy. 

3.3.5 Development at North Leigh will not only ensure the early delivery of a mix of 

housing to meet the needs of the Borough, but will enable the construction of a 

new link road from the A579 Atherleigh Way to A578 Leigh Road. This road link is 

an important element of the Council’s spatial strategy for the Borough (as set out 

in Policy SP3) and would assist in opening up new recognised development 

opportunities, help in the promotion of economic regeneration by attracting new 

development to the area and will improve sustainable access through new 

cycling and walking links. 

3.4 The application 

3.4.1 NLPGL has been working with Wigan Council and other partners since mid 2010 

on the preparation of a planning application. NLPGL has also undertaken two 

public consultation events, in November 2010 and May 2011, in relation to the 

proposed regeneration of the site and the emerging planning application 

proposals. 

3.4.2 As part of the application process, NLPGL is also carrying out an Environmental 

Impact Assessment in four key stages as follows: 

 

 

 

 

Stage One: Scoping and consultation; 

Stage Two: Baseline data gathering; 

Stage Three: Impact assessment, identification of mitigation measures and 

consultation; and 

Stage Four: Preparation of the Environmental Statement 

3.4.3 Prior to undertaking the assessment, detailed baseline environmental conditions 

have been identified and NLPGL has obtained a wide range of information about 

the existing environment based upon observations made on‐site, field surveys, 

information provided by consultees and desk based information. This has 

enabled the identification and evaluation of the existing environmental 

resources that are present. 

3.4.4 Based on the results of a Phase 1 Habitat Survey, data searches and protected 

species surveys, potential effects are currently being identified and avoidance 

and/or mitigation measures will be incorporated into the scheme design where 

necessary. A fundamental part of this process is the identification of 

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opportunities to provide biodiversity enhancement measures within the scheme 

design. Throughout the process NLPGL is consulting with bodies such as Natural 

England, Wigan Council, Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust (WLCT) and Greater 

Manchester Ecology Unit. 

3.4.5 In terms of ecology and nature conservation, our assessment has encompassed 

all issues relating to the flora and fauna that could potentially be significantly 

affected by the proposed development and these are being identified as part of 

the ecological impact assessment. In addition, NLPGL is actively engaging with 

‘Greenheart’ (and council officers) to ensure that the masterplan is informed by 

key stakeholder views. 

3.4.6 The masterplanning of the site is still being progressed and continues to evolve 

following ongoing discussions with stakeholders and council officers. The 

masterplan will have regard to the comments provided during the consultation 

events and it is anticipated that the application will be submitted to the Council 

in early 2012. 

3.4.7 NLPGL has continued to progress the preparation of the application within the 

democratic and legitimate Core Strategy process. NLPGL is in full support of 

North Leigh Park as the Council’s key strategic site allocation and considers that 

its allocation will enable early housing delivery in advance of other broad 

locations. 

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4. Site Viability 

4.1 Land Ownership 

4.1.1 As outlined above, NLPGL are the largest single landowner within the Key 

Strategic Site area. NLPGL are also in different stages of negotiation with the 

other, smaller landowners with an interest in the scheme in order to bring 

forward all land within the strategic site boundary for development in a 

comprehensive manner. 

4.1.2 NLPGL have had a long term interest in land at the North Leigh Key Strategic 

and have been working closely with Wigan Council since that time to evolve a 

deliverable regeneration master plan. This work has led to support for the 

proposals set out in the Core Strategy, supported by a raft of technical, 

feasibility and costing work undertaken to‐date. 

4.1.3 NLPGL have undertaken desk top and intrusive site investigations in order to 

provide baseline data and costs to prepare the master plan and to assess the 

deliverability and phasing of development at North Leigh. In addition, an 

expert team of internationally renowned consultants including Arup, Wardell 

Armstrong and DTZ are advising to ensure that this is a deliverable scheme in 

terms of housing, employment, infrastructure, regeneration and viability. 

4.2 Housing Market 

4.2.1 Work has been undertaken by Lambert Smith Hampton and DTZ in relation 

to the housing market in Wigan and for North Leigh specifically. The 

conclusions of the work that has been undertaken has been fed into the 

master plan in terms of deliverable densities and housing types and in to the 

agreed Key Strategic Site policy in terms of deliverable phasing and 

infrastructure provision. 

4.2.2 From a commercial perspective, a site of the size of North Leigh will provide 

housing from more than one location within it. The promotion of character 

areas and phasing across the regeneration site, when linked with the 

provision of new infrastructure, will provide sufficient variety of housing 

type, mix and location to ensure that even in more difficult market 

conditions, sufficient housing will be delivered to meet the needs of Wigan 

and provide the remediation and infrastructure provision as set out in Policy 

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SP3. This approach reflects the government’s recognition that the quality of 

place is and will continue to be a priority to residents 

4.2.3 Following sales of stock units and in some cases equity injections / rights 

issues, the balance sheets of national house builders are strong again, with 

many having cash available for land purchases. As such the land market 

remains particularly buoyant albeit national house builders are being more 

selective in the type of land opportunity for which they bid. 

4.2.4 There is robust demand for larger sites in good quality locations, which are 

of sufficient scale to enable an estate or neighbourhood to be delivered; 

there is limited interest for smaller sites which accommodate 40 dwellings or 

less, unless these are situated in high quality locations. 

4.2.5 North Leigh would present an excellent opportunity to national house 

builders and strong demand is expected from a combination of regional and 

national operators. The good location of the site, close proximity to the 

national motorway network, together with the size of the development 

would appeal to house builders, as they would have the flexibility to build 

out desired house types, plot sizes and densities, without being limited by 

site size. 

4.2.6 The scale of the overall development would be of sufficient size to drive and 

keep sales values resilient, creating a new market in the area. 

4.3 Employment Land Market 

4.3.1 There has been limited industrial development in the North West region in 

recent years. Virtually none has been undertaken speculatively. Therefore, 

levels of availability have been reducing. Grade A availability of built space 

in excess of 50,000 sq ft currently stands at around 1.25m sq ft which 

equates to under 1 year’s supply. 

4.3.2 There has been a "Flight to Quality" within the industrial property market 

with take up levels for quality space in prime locations continuing to 

improve, although it is important to note that secondary space and 

secondary locations continue to struggle creating a polarized market. 

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4.3.3 Empty property rates severely restrict the pace and scale of any speculative 

development moving forward. However, there are already signs of improved 

sentiment from both the development and funding markets towards 

speculative development, given the reducing supply of stock in prime 

locations. 

4.3.4 The market is slowly returning to a more balanced position with signs of 

reducing occupier inducement packages and upward pressure on rents in 

some locations. 

4.4 Site Costs 

4.4.1 NLPGL have undertaken an extensive range of desk top and intrusive ground 

investigation work and remediation costs have been refined through this 

process. The data from our consultant team has been analysed and 

interpreted by our Cost Consultants including the projected overall cost of 

remediating this site, including contamination and treatment of in excess of 

30 mine shafts. This detailed analysis has been used to conceive the master 

plan and phasing proposals for the site and has subsequently been used as a 

basis to inform the consultation stages of the Core Strategy. 

4.4.2 Detailed road designs and costs for the new Atherleigh Way to Leigh Road 

link road have been produced by Wigan Council and these have been subject 

to detailed scrutiny by our specialised Cost Consultants. The resulting cost 

and funding analysis has reaffirmed the support of NLPGL for the 

deliverability of this regeneration scheme in accordance with a first phase of 

approximately 800 units together with the Link Road west of Westleigh Lane 

and the remaining dwellings along with the second phase of the link road to 

the east of Westleigh Lane. 

4.4.3 Potential S.106 Costs 

NLPGL have provided extensive commentary throughout the various 

consultation stages of the Core Strategy and this includes supporting and 

requesting minor amendments to Policy SP3, as well as confirming their 

support for the allocation of North Leigh as a key strategic site within the 

draft Core Strategy. In the review of scheme costs, NLPGL have always been 

mindful of the potential section 106 costs associated with a large 

regeneration project such as this. This includes provision of around 18 

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hectares of strategic Green Infrastructure, provision of play areas, nature 

areas, education contributions and likely affordable housing provision. 

4.5 Viability 

NLPGL have spent a considerable amount of resource and time in assessing 

the housing and residential market and the costs of delivering this 

development. In conclusion, NLPGL continue to support the necessary 

remediation of the site to enable the regeneration and development of 

North Leigh. As outlined in Section 2 and as evidenced in the supporting 

documentation submitted as part of this statement, NLPGL have vast 

experience in assessing the viability of and delivering regeneration schemes 

with significant initial development costs. It is firmly of the view that this is a 

viable and deliverable regeneration scheme. 

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5. Conclusion 

5.1 NLPGL firmly supports the principle of the allocation of North Leigh as a key 

strategic site within the draft Core Strategy as well as the Council’s policy in 

focusing the majority of new development in the east‐west core of the borough. 

5.2 NLPGL has been working with Wigan Council and other partners since September 

2008 in respect of the delivery of the site. NLPGL is promoting the strategic site 

at North Leigh for mixed use development and is progressing with the 

preparation of a planning application for submission in early 2012. 

5.3 Together with detailed housing market assessments, NLPGL has undertaken an 

extensive range of desk top and intrusive ground investigation works as well as 

infrastructure and other scheme costs analyses in order to assess project 

viability. The work undertaken has reaffirmed the support of NLPGL for the 

deliverability of the regeneration scheme and confirmed that there are no 

impediments to the early delivery of the site. 

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WS27 - Appendix 2 (.PDF, 232KB) - Wigan Council

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