Wigan is to get a new ‘heart’ as plans for a multi-million pound new leisure and public services complex finally get the go ahead.
The council’s project team was in London yesterday (Thursday) to put the finishing touches to a 25 year deal to create the £187M new Wigan Life Centre on and around the site of the former Wigan International Pool.
The agreement with private sector partners the Access consortium, means that construction work on the project will now begin early next week.
And the construction work will bring with it more much-needed job opportunities to the borough.
The project began in 2002 and the agreement represents the culmination of hard work by the council and its partners to bring the dream of revitalising Wigan’s civic heart to life.
The Wigan Life Centre (formerly known as the Joint Service Centre) will be a ‘one-stop shop’ for all public services in the borough from council and housing through to police, health and leisure.
Services provided by the council and its housing and leisure partners, the police, the NHS, the fire service and community and voluntary groups will be contained in three zones (Healthy Living, Information and Learning and Neighbourhoods) located on either side of the town hall.
There will be a new 25m swimming pool and central library – including separate children’s and teenage libraries, both of which has been designed by the team behind the multi award-winning Brighton Library.
The Wigan Life Centre is being paid for using £77m of Private Finance Initiative (PFI) credits, for which Wigan had to compete against more than 100 other councils. This means that the private sector bears the initial building and running costs, which are paid back over 25 years using the government credit. Then the building belongs to the council.
The ground-breaking project has been designed and will be built by Access consortium and will feature two iconic ‘landmark’ buildings.
Leader of Wigan Council Lord Peter Smith says:
“This is fantastic news for Wigan and a truly momentous occasion for our borough.
“Today’s signing is the climax of several years of intensive hard work by council officers and members and our private sector partners to get the right deal for Wigan and its success is to everyone’s credit.
“Wigan Council and its partners have been at the forefront of bringing first rate regeneration projects to our borough such as the Grand Arcade and Leigh Sports Village. The Wigan Life Centre really is the icing in the cake.
"Wigan gained £77m in competition with more than 100 other local authorities. This funding comes in the form of Private Finance Initiative Credits and we will work with our partners to deliver good quality services for people across the borough.
“By joining up public services in this way we will be able to help many more people in our borough. The Wigan Life Centre is one of the most ambitious council projects ever undertaken in the UK and we have been able to prove beyond doubt we are capable of delivering it successfully.”
