CRT Property Developments — the organisation charged with regenerating former coalfields — has been granted permission to build a trade counter complex on a former Wigan pit site.
A subsidiary of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, CRT wants to construct five commercial units on land at Manchester Road, east of the town centre. The total floor space would be 17,500 sq ft with individual sales warehouses ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 sq ft.
Shaun O’Brien, a chartered surveyor with extensive experience of developing former coal industry sites, is the trust’s property investment and development director who confirmed on site work would start early in January. A contractor has yet to be named.
“We believe that the timing is right in the market for speculative development, particularly as this has slowed so significantly over the past six or seven years,” he explained. “When the recession hit, it was tough for construction and had a disproportionate impact on the coalfields communities.”
The specialist industrial and warehouse agency, B8 Real Estate, has been appointed to market the scheme. It said it would shortly be making a New Year announcement, with a number of pre-lets close to signing.
“The economy is now starting to improve, which is generating occupier demand and this is particularly true in the trade counter market where occupiers are starting to open new sites across the UK especially linked to the construction industry,” said B8 partner, Jon Thorne.
Wigan council has been looking for a developer to clear and build on the derelict site for almost a decade. “Working closely with CRT Property Development we know that the impact this could have is positive and most importantly lasting,” said Steve Normington, the authority’s director of economy and skills.
“Encouraging people to consider starting up an enterprise or extending in the local area can only create further good news for our region.”
Established in 1999, the trust has invested more than £260m in developments and projects in former English coalfields. “I believe there is a real opportunity to ensure a good return for the trust and make a significant contribution to creating and sustaining jobs in former mining areas through our work space development programme,” said its director.
“We will be looking for sites with a view to speculatively developing small to medium sized starter units and workshops backed by a bold leasing policy.
“There is a real gap in the current market for this sort of development, and because our priority is supporting coalfields communities, we will be able to make them available to local entrepreneurs and new businesses, who often find it difficult to secure premises without an established trading history,” added O’Brien.
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