Welcome to the Lee Hall public consultation website
Scroll to read the story so far…
There has been a long history of proposals to develop the land between Westhoughton and Hulton Park, known as Lee Hall. The area has been identified for development in plans dating back to the 1960’s, alongside the long-standing ambition to create a bypass for Westhoughton linking to the M61.
Most recently, in 2022, a large part of Lee Hall was granted planning permission for residential development, alongside the transformational Hulton Park project which includes the restoration of the listed Hulton Park, creation of a golf resort and new homes and community facilities. Hulton Park is a potential English candidate venue for the Ryder Cup and the consent is subject to a restriction whereby no development can take place until the rights to host the Ryder Cup have been secured.
The golf project at Hulton Park is now being taken forward by Peel’s specialist Retail and Leisure team. Work is ongoing to refine the project and facilitate the delivery of a world class golf resort, with the ambition to host the Ryder Cup.
Bolton Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority continue to back Hulton Park as a catalyst project within the NorthFold Growth Corridor - a major growth area between Wigan and Bolton identified for new homes, jobs, and investment.
However, in response to changing circumstances and pressing needs on the local community, a separate planning application for Lee Hall is now being brought forward by Peel Land. This will deliver a high quality place on the eastern edge of Westhoughton, providing much-needed new homes, community facilities and the long-awaited Westhoughton link road (“Park Avenue”) to tackle long-standing congestion around the Chequerbent roundabout.
The proposal for Lee Hall is a key part of the wider vision forthe area, but is coming forward separate to the plans to create the new golf destination at Hulton Park. You will hear more about how we are progressing the golf project within the Park in the coming months. This consultation is focused on the adjacent Lee Hall land, which is outside the listed park and not Green Belt.
The location of the site, with Hulton Park to the east
Writing the next chapter
Throughout this site we will be asking you to answer a few questions to help us as we explore the next chapter of our story.
These will appear in a form similar to that shown here.
You can choose to supply your email on our first question or leave your feedback annonomously.
About you
-
The information you provide will be used only for the purposes of keeping you informed and understanding public opinion on the project. It will be stored securely until completion of the project, after which this information will be deleted. Personal details will not be shared with any other third party and we will not contact you in relation to any other project or for marketing purposes. If you have indicated that you would like to be kept informed on progress with the proposals, your information will only be shared with third parties for the express purpose of keeping you informed, and with Peel Land and/or the relevant local authority where there is a legal obligation to do so. It will not be forwarded on to any other third parties. You can contact us at any time to request the deletion of your information. Please contact us at contact@leehallconsultation.co.uk
History
Timeline
Scroll through this page to understand the key milestones for Lee Hall and the attempts to create the new link road.
1949
Plans for a highway named Route 225 were unearthed linking Wigan with Bolton.
1968
Lee Hall site identified for housing development in Preliminary Urban Structure Plan for Westhoughton.
1972
Site allocated for an urban extension in the 1972 Westhoughton Masterplan, with proposals for new schools and neighbourhood centres.
1980
Site excluded from the Greater Manchester Green Belt Local Plan because the “land is earmarked for development in the Westhoughton Master Plan”.
1989
Government proposals for a “M6-M61 Link: Wigan, Hindley and Westhoughton Bypass” reemerged. A5225 plans approved but withdrawn due to lack of funding.
1995
The northern part of the site is allocated in Bolton’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP) for employment use, with the remainder retained for future residential development.
2007
Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council revived the plans for a link road, but was not delivered.
2016
The land was identified in the 2016 draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) as suitable and sustainable for a major urban extension. However, it was not included in the final version.
2017
Part of the Lee Hall area, between Chequerbent Roundabout and Platt Lane, was approved for the development of 300 homes; the development by Persimmon Homes called Bluebell Walk is now almost complete.
2018
Bid made for Government’s Housing Infrastructure Forward Fund for the link road as part of the overall M6-M61 corridor, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
2020
Planning permission granted for first Hulton Park scheme, dependent on the delivery of the link road at Lee Hall.
2022
Residential development on a large part of Lee Hall is granted as part of the Hulton Park project, for delivery alongside the world-class golfing resort and including the ‘Park Avenue’ link road.
2024
Places for Everyone allocates Chequerbent North 25,000sqm of employment floorspace, and establishes a strategic policy for delivery of the M6-M61 link road to support a major Growth Corridor across Bolton and Wigan.
2025
NorthFold strategic vision is established as a collaboration between Wigan and Bolton Council’s, together with Greater Manchester Combined Authority and development partners including Peel Land.
2025
Peel Land announces separate plans for Lee Hall to enable delivery of employment floorspace, new homes, the link road and other community infrastructure.
Ongoing
Next steps for Hulton Park restoration and golf resort will be announced in due course.
History
Residents of Westhoughton have waited decades for a new road. From the 1960’s plans for ‘Route 225’, the late 1980’s "M6 - M61 Link: Wigan, Hindley and Westhoughton Bypass" which included three options, and the 2018 Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) scheme, nothing has ever materialised.
The 2022 planning permission for the Hulton Park project included a new link road from the A58 (adjacent to Junction 5 of the M61), to create Park Avenue, to ease congestion around Chequerbent Roundabout in Westhoughton, tied to securing the Ryder Cup.
The plans for Lee Hall now include a refined and straightened version of this link road scheme.
Homes
Identified area for new Westhoughton homes
Since the late 1950’s, Lee Hall has been identified through numerous plans for more homes in Westhoughton. Lee Hall was identified as a strategic ‘east wing’ of Westhoughton’s growth.
Caption: 1960’s Preliminary Urban Structure Map for Westhoughton, showing Lee Hall as identified for housing and industrial purposes
The long wait for a new road
Golf Project
The existing planning permission
Click on the image to enlarge
Road
Click on the images to enlarge
In 2022, planning was approved for the Hulton Park project, which would deliver:
A world-class golf resort; restoration of the historic Park; more than 1,000 homes & community facilities, and the “Park Avenue” road link proposal, to address congestion at the Chequerbent roundabout.
This included a significant proportion of the development at Lee Hall that is the subject of these proposals. This permission remains live, but because it is tied to the Ryder Cup the development at Lee Hall cannot currently go ahead.
Click on the image to enlarge
1949
Plans for a highway named Route 225 were unearthed linking Wigan with Bolton.
History
Timeline
Scroll along this page to understand the key milestones for Lee Hall and the attempts to create the new link road.
Lee Hall site identified for housing development in Preliminary Urban Structure Plan for Westhoughton.
1968
1972
Site allocated for an urban extension in the 1972 Westhoughton Masterplan, with proposals for new schools and neighbourhood centres.
Site excluded from the Greater Manchester Green Belt Local Plan because the “land is earmarked for development in the Westhoughton Master Plan”.
1980
1989
Government proposals for a “M6-M61 Link: Wigan, Hindley and Westhoughton Bypass” reemerged. A5225 plans approved but withdrawn due to lack of funding.
The northern part of the site is allocated in Bolton’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP) for employment use, with the remainder retained for future residential development.
1995
2007
Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council revived the plans for a link road, but was not delivered.
The land was identified in the 2016 draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) as suitable and sustainable for a major urban extension. However, it was not included in the final version.
2016
2017
Part of the Lee Hall area, between Chequerbent Roundabout and Platt Lane, was approved for the development of 300 homes; the development by Persimmon Homes called Bluebell Walk is now almost complete.
Bid made for Government’s Housing Infrastructure Forward Fund for the link road as part of the overall M6-M61 corridor, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
2018
2020
Planning permission granted for first Hulton Park scheme, dependent on the delivery of the link road at Lee Hall.
Residential development on a large part of Lee Hall is granted as part of the Hulton Park project, for delivery alongside the world-class golfing resort and including the ‘Park Avenue’ link road.
2022
NorthFold strategic vision is established as a collaboration between Wigan and Bolton Council’s, together with Greater Manchester Combined Authority and development partners including Peel Land.
2025
2025
Peel Land announces separate plans for Lee Hall to enable delivery of employment floorspace, new homes, the link road and other community infrastructure.
2024
Places for Everyone allocates Chequerbent North 25,000sqm of employment floorspace, and establishes a strategic policy for delivery of the M6-M61 link road to support a major Growth Corridor across Bolton and Wigan.
Ongoing
Next steps for Hulton Park restoration and golf resort will be announced in due course.
1960’s Preliminary Urban Structure Map for Westhoughton, showing Lee Hall as identified for housing and industrial purposes
Identified area for new Westhoughton homes
Since the late 1950’s, Lee Hall has been identified through numerous plans for more homes in Westhoughton. Lee Hall was identified as a strategic ‘east wing’ of Westhoughton’s growth.
History
Homes
Click on the image to enlarge
The long wait for a new road
Residents of Westhoughton have waited decades for a new road. From the 1960’s plans for ‘Route 225’, the late 1980’s "M6 - M61 Link: Wigan, Hindley and Westhoughton Bypass" which included three options, and the 2018 Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) scheme, nothing has ever materialised.
The 2022 planning permission for the Hulton Park project included a new link road from the A58 (adjacent to Junction 5 of the M61), to create Park Avenue, to ease congestion around Chequerbent Roundabout in Westhoughton, tied to securing the Ryder Cup.
The plans for Lee Hall now include a refined and straightened version of this link road scheme.
History
Road
Click on the image to enlarge
History
Golf Project
The existing planning permission
In 2022, planning was approved for the Hulton Park project, which would deliver:
A world-class golf resort; restoration of the historic Park; more than 1,000 homes & community facilities, and the “Park Avenue” road link proposal, to address congestion at the Chequerbent roundabout.
This included a significant proportion of the development at Lee Hall that is the subject of these proposals. This permission remains live, but because it is tied to the Ryder Cup the development at Lee Hall cannot currently go ahead.
Click on the images to enlarge