Plans have been filed to transform a redundant shopping centre in the heart of Wigan into an 84,000 sq ft “multi media centre”.
Wigan Council and development partner Cityheart have jointly submitted a reserved matters planning application for the development, on the site of the former Galleries shopping centre.
It follows a successful hybrid planning application in November 2021 for the £135m redevelopment of the entire site.
The next £26.5m phase will include a six-screen, 700-seat cinema, multi-lane bowling alley, indoor mini golf, a climbing wall and other indoor leisure activities, as well as public events space, a games arcade, bars and restaurants.
Designed by JM Architects, the wider development will also include 483 homes across seven new residential buildings, a 144-bedroom hotel, a retirement complex, a new market hall and food court.
Cityheart development director Warren Taylor said: “The MMC was originally going to form part of a later phase of the multi-stage development but has been brought forward to realise the ambition of a truly mixed-use, exciting town centre neighbourhood.”
Since signing a development agreement in June 2021, the partnership has secured vacant possession of the site, and started site remediation and demolition works last July.
The new market hall will be the first building to be completed, targeted for late 2024.
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