The Heaton Group has secured planning approval for its £250m regeneration of the iconic Eckersley Mill site in Wigan.
The 17-acre development, which has been renamed Cotton Works, will transform the historic area into a mixed-use destination comprising commercial, residential, food and drink and leisure spaces.
The Heaton Group bought the site in 2021 and secured planning consent for the restoration of two listed mills – Mill One and Mill Three – on the site last year.
John Heaton, managing director of Heaton Group, said ‘It’s not only great news for the team who have worked incredibly hard for three years to get to this stage, but for the whole of Wigan. We’re already employing hundreds of tradespeople as a result of this decision, and those numbers are going to grow with the approval to begin work on future phases of the site and open new venues, offices and leisure spaces.
“We’re so proud of our heritage and we’re honoured to be able to restore these valuable cultural assets and bring them into the 21st century. As a sign of our long-term commitment to continued regeneration of the area, we are consolidating our business in Wigan and Heaton Group will relocate to Mill One in summer.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, added: “This is another fantastic example of how we’re turbocharging growth in Greater Manchester using the brownfield sites already available. Securing full planning permission for this significantly large brownfield site is not just about reclaiming land – it’s about unlocking the potential for new homes, jobs, and economic growth that will benefit our communities for generations to come. It is exciting to be here for the beginning of a transformational development in Wigan.”
David Molyneux MBE, leader of Wigan Council, 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.”
The project team at Cotton Works includes architects Fletcher Rae and planning consultant Paul Butler Associates.
