Issue - meetings

The Committee considered a report and presentation of the Director – Strategy and Innovation, presented by the Operations Director – Haigh Hall, Peter Hughes, the Service Lead – Council Assets and Property, Heather Coombs, the Programme Manager – Policy and Strategy, Clare Jones and Head of Horticulture, Sylvia Travers, which provided an update on the progress made at Haigh Hall, including future plans and key next steps.

The main elements of the project had included extensive external repairs to the hall; internal remodelling and restoration; external landscaping; remodelling of the car park facilities and transport options; and construction of an energy centre.

Some of the key areas included in the Committee’s discussion were:

?         public transport links;

?         horticulture, including nature trails, endangered species and apprenticeships; and

?         the hospitality roles to be advertised for the site.

The Operations Director – Haigh Hall informed the Committee that following concerns having been raised in relation to  local transport links, Levelling Up Funding  would provide electric buses and/or an electric land train to provide links to the Plantation Gates on Wigan Lane. Conversations had also taken place with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) with regards to the current transport links and the possibility to improve them later in the project.

The Head of Horticulture advised Members that National Lottery funding had been secured for works to the pond, which would be drained and cleaned in Spring 2025, as well as a plan and strategy put in place to combat the Japanese Knotweed that had been identified on site. Haigh Hall had collaborated with Wigan and Leigh College to provide three and four year apprenticeships in Horticulture, Community Gardening and Woodland Management starting Spring 2025.

The Operations Director – Haigh Hall informed Members that plans had been put in place to appoint a hospitality partner by Autumn 2025 with the tender for this work starting in January 2025, and a hospitality sector expert had supported with interior/kitchen design at the Hall.

Resolved: The Committee:-

(1)        thanks the officers for their report and presentation; and

(2)        endorses the work being undertaken at Haigh Hall.