Question Reference Number 864694
What is the Council doing about the Astley warehouses? The scale, impact, and positioning of the warehouses have had a significant and lasting negative effect on local homes, including loss of light, increased noise, flooding concerns, and serious impacts on wellbeing and property values. There is a strong feeling within the community that the consultation process and decision-making did not adequately reflect the lived experience of those most affected. I would ask the Council to urgently acknowledge the harm being reported by residents and work with the community on meaningful mitigation, accountability, and support going forward.
Response from Councillor Nazia Rehman, Executive Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance, Resources and Transformation
The Council recognises the concerns raised by residents in relation to the development at Astley Business Park, including issues around amenity, noise, drainage and the wider impact on the local community. We appreciate that developments of this scale can give rise to strong local feeling, particularly where residents feel their day-to-day experience has been affected.
Planning permission for the site was granted following consideration through the statutory planning process, which included consultation and assessment against relevant planning policies and considerations. Since then, the Council has continued to engage with residents and other stakeholders where concerns have been raised, and we remain committed to ensuring that the development operates in accordance with the conditions attached to its planning approval.
The Council has already published detailed information regarding the development, the issues raised by residents, and the outcomes of further review work, including an independent audit. This information is available on the Council’s website at the following links:
These updates set out the actions taken to date, including consideration of drainage and flooding matters, environmental controls, and ongoing monitoring and engagement with site operators.
The Council will continue to work with relevant partners, including the site operators and statutory bodies, to address any verified issues and to ensure compliance with planning and environmental requirements. Residents are encouraged to report specific concerns to the Council, via the relevant links in the above webpages, so they can be investigated and responded to appropriately.
Question Reference Number 864695
Can the Cabinet Member for Housing explain the rationale behind the housing department's handling of the borough-wide garage stock review and allocation freeze? Specifically, why did Wigan Council continue to accept new resident applications, such as one made by a Lowton resident in October 2022 for the Oaklands Road garage site, months after an internal freeze was implemented in early 2022, without informing applicants that allocations were completely halted? Furthermore, given that this review has now prolonged into 2026 with over 50% of the council's 1,512 garages sitting vacant, what is the estimated total of lost rental revenue to the local authority over this four-year freeze? At a time of intense budgetary pressure, how does the council justify keeping hundreds of revenue-generating assets intentionally empty, and what immediate remedy will be offered to applicants who have been left in administrative limbo for four years due to this lack of transparency?
Response from Councillor Susan Gambles, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Welfare
The Council is currently undertaking a review of its garage estate to ensure that these assets continue to provide value to residents, whilst supporting wider housing, regeneration and land-use objectives.
It is important to clarify that the borough-wide garage review was formally commissioned in July 2026 following recommendation from the Housing Leadership Group to undertake a detailed appraisal of the garage portfolio. Prior to this, the Council continued to operate its garage service and garages remained available to let. Whilst garage allocations and re-lettings did continue during this period, the Council recognises that service capacity challenges impacted the efficiency and speed with which some applications and enquiries were processed.
The purpose of the current review is to establish the long-term future of the Council's garage estate. Many garage sites were constructed several decades ago and now experience varying levels of occupancy, maintenance liabilities and differing future development potential. The review is therefore considering a range of factors including demand, condition, investment requirements, income performance and opportunities to support wider strategic objectives.
The figure referenced regarding vacant garages reflects the very issue that the review is seeking to address. Vacancy levels vary significantly across the estate and a detailed assessment is now underway to determine which sites remain suitable for continued garage use, which may require investment, and which may be better suited to alternative uses in the future.
The Council recognises that some applicants may have experienced delays or uncertainty regarding garage allocations. As part of the review process, the Council is seeking to establish a consistent, sustainable and transparent approach to future management of the garage estate. Once the review findings have been considered, applicants and existing tenants will be updated on any decisions affecting individual sites and future letting arrangements.
The review is ultimately intended to ensure that the Council makes the best use of its assets, balances financial considerations with community benefit, and develops a long-term strategy for a garage portfolio that has evolved considerably since many of the sites were originally established.