If you are interested in buying land or property owned by Wigan Council, you can:
Please note that some land or property may already be subject to an agreement or rights of occupation. You should make your own checks to confirm whether the land or property is vacant.
Land or property purchase enquiries
A flat fee of £100 including VAT is payable upon application.
As part of the introduction of our new enquiry system, this fee will be waived for a limited introductory period of 4 weeks. During this time, enquiries can be submitted free of charge.
Paying the enquiry fee allows the Council to assess your request, but it does not mean the land or property will be offered for sale. Even if the land or property appears unused, in poor condition, or is not currently active, the Council may still require it for statutory functions, future development, access, utilities, environmental management or other corporate priorities. The Council retains full discretion to refuse a sale at any stage.
To make an enquiry, please visit the Wigan Council Ownership map (external link) and read the important information. Click on the land or property you are interested in, then choose 'click to enquire' to launch the enquiry form.
Garden licence enquiries
Garden licence enquiries follow the same process as the enquiries above but operate under a separate fee structure (£50 plus VAT).
This fee will also be waived during the 4‑week introductory period of the new system.
A garden licence allows a resident to use a small area of Council‑owned land situated within or adjacent to the boundary of their property, typically for a garden extension. It does not grant ownership of the land.
Where a property with an existing garden licence is sold, any request to transfer the licence to the new property owner will be handled as part of the normal conveyancing process and will be subject to a standard administrative charge.
To make an enquiry, please visit the Wigan Council Ownership map (external link) and read the important information. Click on the land or property you are interested in, then choose 'click to enquire' to launch the enquiry form.
Community Asset Transfer (CAT) enquiries
Please visit our Community Asset Transfer page for full details of the process and how to apply.
Street, greenspace or local area enquiries
Please visit our Improve a space page for more information.
Possible Outcomes
Your enquiry may result in:
- The land being retained by the Council
- The land or property being sold – either directly to you or via the open market.
Timescales
We receive a high volume of enquiries, and some require detailed investigations and internal consultation. Response times will vary, but we will aim to reply as quickly as possible.