Heaton Group Lines Up Next Phases of £180m Wigan Mill Regeneration

Wigan Council has approved 179 new homes at Heaton Group's £180m Cotton Works regeneration, clearing the way for the scheme's first major new-build residential phase on the former Eckersley Mills complex.

The local developer has already finished the project's first phase. That work transformed Grade II-listed Mill One into offices, hospitality and leisure space, and the restored building now anchors the whole site.

Mill One currently houses Heaton Group's headquarters, The Three Mills pub, Grade A office space and a rooftop bar and events venue. It sets the tone for what follows.

What comes next at Cotton Works?

Attention now turns to Block A, the first major new-build residential phase of the masterplan. The six-storey scheme will deliver 179 one- and two-bedroom private rented homes on the site of the demolished Mill Two, sitting between Mills One and Three.

Fletcher Rae is progressing the detailed design on Block A, working alongside Brennan Consult, QED, Paul Butler Associates and OFR Consultants. No main contractor has been formally confirmed yet.

Heaton has previously used its own construction arm, HG Developments, on projects including Mill One, so an in-house build remains a live possibility for Block A.

Why did the Mill Three plans change?

A separate refurbishment of Mill Three is also moving forward, but not as originally envisioned. Earlier plans to convert the Grade II-listed building into 137 apartments have been dropped.

In their place sits a commercial and leisure scheme, including restoration of the building's engine house and boiler house. The pivot trades residential density for heritage-led commercial space, which sits comfortably alongside Mill One's office and hospitality mix.

Block A and Mill Three together form the next major construction push at Cotton Works. Beyond those, the masterplan includes further residential development, commercial space, public realm improvements and a hotel.

What does this change for the project?

The practical answer is momentum and money. Greater Manchester has allocated £14m of Good Growth Fund support to help unlock Block A, giving the residential phase a concrete funding base alongside its planning consent.

For Wigan, the approval converts a stalled demolition site between two restored mill buildings into nearly 180 rental homes, while the revised Mill Three scheme keeps another listed structure in active commercial use rather than sitting empty through a long conversion.

With detailed design progressing, a contractor decision on Block A is the next milestone to watch.