Names of those who died at Wigan mine to be memorialised in new 268 home development on former colliery site

Names of those who died at the Pemberton Colliery have been memorialised as street names in the new 268 home development being built there. The street names on the Tulach site in Wigan all have links to the industrial past of where it now sits - this includes using the names of those that died in the explosions back in 1830 and 1877.

During a tour of the site, the Local Democracy Reporting Service was told that this brought with it a key piece of infrastructure needed for Wigan whilst regenerating the previously 'derelict' site off Smithy Brook Road. Northstone, the developer, part of Peel L&P contributed more than £4m towards the M58 link road which was implemented to relieve traffic in this region of the borough.

That has now been delivered ‘ahead of schedule’, Jonathan England, Development Director at Peel L&P claimed.

READ MORE: Three arrested during raids as police investigate sale of 'dying puppies'

According to Wigan Council’s housing strategy there is a continuing shortfall in affordable homes in the borough, which is why sites like this maintaining affordable homes is vital. Northstone reduced the number of affordable homes on this site from 25 per cent (minimum requirement unless site becomes financially unviable as a result) down to 13 - the reason given was the cost of building the section of M58 link road.

“The principal planning benefit that this site brought was that it was able to bring forward a section of the M58 link from Smithy Brook to the Billinge Road junction - which is seen as a key gap in the link road for Wigan,” Mr England said. “Access for this site was already pretty good as it is right beside Pemberton Railway Station.

“In truth it [the link road] is more of a gain for Wigan than it was