Mayor of GM praises Wigan's £250m transformation of Eckersley Mill

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has praised Wigan's £250m transformation of the iconic Eckersley Mill site - which has the potential to create more than 1,200 jobs in the borough. The development being undertaken by family-owned Wigan firm The Heaton Group now has full planning approval.

The 17-acre site is one of the biggest undeveloped brownfield sites under single ownership in Greater Manchester.

Badged Cotton Works, it will see 817 homes delivered as part of a ‘10-minute community’ with affordable housing and senior living provisions.

Andy Burnham said that he believes the ‘proud towns of Greater Manchester’ are to have ‘their best moment for decades’.

He continued;

“More and more people are coming to live in Greater Manchester. And if they can’t afford the city, they’re starting to look at places like Stockport, Farnowth, Middleton and here in Wigan."Wigan is already a great place to live but it will be a fantastic place to live when this scheme is delivered.”

Mr Burnham also alluded to the closeness of the mill complex to the important transport link of Wigan Wallgate train station. Housing developments proximity to good public transport links is a key priority for Greater Manchester's 10-year growth plans and is an idea that has been backed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Andy Burnham said "Wigan Wallgate will be in the Bee Network within the next three years. So people who live here will be able to walk there, tap in the station and then they’ll be in the Bee Network system. That is a game changer for the town. Living here is going to be even better when that connectivity improves.

“That is exactly what I’m saying to the chancellor - that we can build more around our train stations and we will be seeking the funding to unlock true levelling up in places like Wigan.”

The Heaton Group bought the site in 2021 and had plans granted for the restoration of two listed mills – Mill One and Mill Three – last year.

Work has been progressing at pace on Mill One, the first of the original cotton mills to be fully restored. This £25m first phase incorporates a new glass and steel roof extension visible from miles around.

This first phase will be home to two floors of grade A commercial office space with tenants already moving in over the next few months. In addition, there will be a food hall featuring six independent kitchens, an all-day café, two bars, and a stage set to host a vibrant schedule of live music and entertainment.

With outdoor seating, it will also offer the setting for alfresco dining. Adjacent to the food hall, a new pub will serve the finest local craft beers. The new rooftop extension will house Wigan’s premier co-working space alongside a rooftop bar — the first of its kind in the area.

In front of the mill, a vast outdoor plaza will offer landscaped green spaces for relaxation, sculptures, and a 'town square' designed for artisan markets, outdoor cinema screenings, and concerts. Managing director of the Heaton Group, John Heaton, said his firm - established for more than 50 years - had worked hard for three years to get to the current position, where development is beginning to take place and where the company will site its headquarters.

Wigan council leader David Molyneux said: "It was a real pleasure to visit this site, which is one of several brownfield developments breathing new life into our town, and creating new spaces for people to live, work, visit and enjoy themselves. We are proud of our strong industrial heritage, and projects like Cotton Works are set to be part of our borough’s bright and vibrant future.”