“Iconic” Wigan town centre building to be transformed into modern business space

Plans to turn one of Wigan’s “most iconic” town centre buildings into a “vibrant and unique” place to work in the heart of the town centre will be the focus of a discussion at UKREiiF next week.

The UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) connects people, places and businesses to accelerate and unlock sustainable, inclusive and transformational investment and will take place next week (May 16 to 18) in Leeds.

Wigan Council’s director of place, Aidan Thatcher, will take part in a live roundtable discussion on Tuesday where the topic is ‘Creating better places and environments for work’ using the Civic Centre as an example of what can be achieved with existing buildings.

In partnership with social mission developers Capital&Centric, the Civic Centre, the modernist concrete building that’s sat at the heart of the town since the 1970s, will be restored and repurposed as part of a post-Covid drive to create design-led offices in Greater Manchester, providing businesses with a cost-effective alternative to a city centre base.

Plans for the space will be geared toward delivering incubator spaces for startups, co-working and small businesses, alongside larger spaces, coffee shops, outdoor decked hangouts and a roof garden.

Early ideas also include an “impressive” double-height entrance that celebrates the concrete bones of the historic structure, as well as new planting to introduce greenery to contrast with the concrete frame.

John Moffat, joint MD of Capital&Centric, commented: “Who says Manchester has to have the monopoly on cool work spaces? Post-pandemic, people are re-assessing where they want to work, and this space could easily provide a base for ambitious and creative startups who want a cost-effective alternative to the city centre or somewhere closer to home.

“We’re suckers for a restoration. We’ve as much respect for these bold 70s creations as we do the majestic mills that have a hundred years on them. They’re part of the architectural narrative of the nation and, at a time when loads of these mid-century concrete buildings are being flattened, it’s important we preserve what we can.

“The bones of the civic centre are solid, it just needs some vision to create the next chapter. We want to prove we can deliver one of the best office spaces outside of Manchester, with creative spaces where people want to hang out, greenery and sensitive design that elevates the original features.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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