16 October 2006
A healthy future for Bickershaw
A former colliery site near Wigan is set to benefit from a multi-million pound government grant that will put healthy living at the forefront of a massive regeneration agenda.
Bickershaw Colliery in Leigh, will receive funding of £16.85 million to create open space, a country park, golf course and visitor centre as part of a package of measures to introduce a healthier lifestyle into an area recognised as one of England's most deprived in terms of well-being.
The funding is part of an overall package of just under £36 million awarded to Bickershaw by national regeneration agency English Partnerships through its National Coalfields Programme. The programme aims to create new jobs, homes, leisure facilities and open space in former coalfield communities throughout England. In 2004, £19.14 million of funds were approved by English Partnerships to secure a mixed use scheme in the Southern part of the site, next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal.
Neil Mortimer, Head of Coalfields for English Partnerships, said,
"Bickershaw Colliery is the largest site within the National Coalfields Programme, covering an area greater than Pennington Flash or Hyde Park and has the potential to make a big impact in the region in terms of quality of life for local people and environmental sustainability. We are working closely with Wigan Council and the Northwest Development Agency on a healthy living strategy, exploring ways to encourage active participation in the new facilities, as well as opportunities for reducing carbon emissions through sustainable energy initiatives."
Wigan Council will deliver the open space element with a free country park and community woodland, a variety of active and passive leisure activities including allotments, walking and cycling trails and two pay-and-play nine-hole golf courses. The visitor centre will include education and nature facilities, play equipment and a landscaped outdoor events arena. A planning application for the site will be submitted in 2007 and a start on site is expected early 2008.
Peter Smith, Leader of Wigan Council and a local councillor for the area, said, "This is a very exciting project that will bring many benefits, not just to the local area which I represent, but to the borough as a whole.
"The Council is fully behind this visionary plan, and we'll work with the community and local providers to create the best possible development and deliver a wide range of leisure pursuits to suit all abilities.
"The new facilities at Bickershaw will complement those at Leigh Sports Village and Greenheart Regional Park. They reflect what people have told us they want, and demonstrate the ambition of all partners to bring about a lasting transformation of the last major area of derelict coalfield land left within our borough."
The Northwest Regional development Agency (NWDA) is bringing forward the southern part of the site with up to 650 new homes and a marina with the potential for waterside bars, restaurants and shops.
Maurice Gubbins, NWDA Policy and Partnerships Manager, said, "the development of Bickershaw Colliery, one of the region's former coalfield communities, is an important project for the NWDA. Additional funding for new leisure facilities will provide a massive boost to the local community, helping to create a place where people want to live, work and invest."
The proposed mix of housing, commercial units, open space and recreation uses means the project partners are in a unique position to create a fully integrated and sustainable community, contributing to the government's agenda on climate change and minimising the impact on the environment, while delivering health and housing benefits.
Ann Reid, specialist in public health at Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Primary Care Trust, said, "Heart and circulatory disease is the UK's biggest killer. Even small changes in people's lifestyle can make a big difference to their health. The attractive open space and range of leisure and sport facilities planned for Bickershaw will make it easier for everyone in the community to build healthy living into their lives. We are delighted to be working with project partners to influence the impact on health for local people."
The community has been consulted on a range of options for Bickershaw Colliery. There will be more consultation events in the autumn when the partners will be able to provide further responses to community feedback to date as well as information on how people can be involved in the more detailed design stages for the future development of the site.
Ends
For further information please contact Kim Tran on 080 7881 1665 or kimtran@englishpartnerships.co.uk or Val Smit at English Partnerships on 01925 644635.
Images will be available to download from:
http://englishpartnerships.co.uk/mediaimages.htm under National Coalfields Programme section or contact Kim Tran on 020 7881 1665 or Val Smith 01925 644635
Notes to editors:
10 years of the National Coalfields Programme
The £386.5 million National Coalfields Programme is assisting coalfield communities throughout England to recover from the decline of the coal industry by creating new employment, homes, leisure facilities and open space. It works closely with Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), the Coalfield's Community Campaign, local authorities and many other groups to help rebuild fragile economies. It now covers more than 100 sites across some 4,300 hectares.
English Partnerships is the government's national regeneration agency delivering high quality, sustainable growth in England. We do this by developing our portfolio of strategic projects and acting as the government's advisor on brownfield land. We also ensure that surplus public sector assets are used to support wider government objectives, especially those contained in the Sustainable Communities Plan. English Partnerships helps create communities where people can afford to live and want to live.
Information on projects and programmes can be found at www.englishpartnerships.co.uk