First look at overhaul of Greater Manchester town's 'brutalist' civic centre

Nick Jackson
·3-min read

A first look at the overhaul of Wigan’s ‘brutalist’ civic centre has been released. Social impact developers Capital&Centric have given a sneak peek of what the project, dubbed ‘Civic’, will look like once complete next year.

Preparation works are now complete, with construction set to start next month. Capital&Centric is working in partnership with Wigan council and supported by UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

Project leaders say older buildings are being spared demolition and repurposed as part of the UK’s mission to reach its climate change targets. Civic will feature a raft of sustainability features such as smart, high-efficiency lighting to reduce energy consumption and electric vehicle charging points and cycle storage to encourage active travel and improve air quality in Wigan’s centre.

READ MORE: It's one of the 'coolest places to live in the UK', but some people in this Greater Manchester area feel left behind

The introduction of lush gardens and planting – as seen in the first look artist impressions – will see biodiversity at the site increased by over 500per cent. The first Civic workspaces are expected to be available as early as summer 2025, with initial expressions of interest already being taken.

Aidan Thatcher, director of place at Wigan council, said: “This redevelopment will bring this iconic building back to life and create a modern and sustainable workplace of choice in our town centre. It is an innovative project to restore an old building, give it a renewed purpose, and ensure it is fit for the future.

“There are lots of exciting projects taking place in Wigan town centre at the moment as part of our strategic regeneration framework, including the redevelopment of the Galleries, Wigan Pier and Eckersley Mills. Together these projects will help support the regeneration of Wigan into a place where people choose to live, work, visit and invest.”

Capital&Centric joint managing director John Moffat said: “Concrete 70s buildings like Civic really divide opinion and too often they’re flattened in favour of new build. But, with the mission to reach net zero emissions, overhauling existing buildings has to be the first choice.

"We’re not relying on the carbon savings when compared to the alternative, we’re reducing the operating emissions by about 40pc and packing the building with smart technology to further reduce energy consumption. Wigan council are showing real ambition when it comes to sustainable regeneration that sets the tone for the town centre for years to come.

“Working together, we’re not only determined to create one of the most sustainable workspaces in Wigan, we also want to defy expectations and create a thing of beauty, with stunning spaces inside and stacks of lush planting along Millgate. It’ll be a real set piece in Wigan’s wider regeneration story.”

Facilities in Civic will include a gym and mini cinema, cycle storage and a roof terrace. Exposed concrete inside will be framed by lush new plants and trees. There will also be spaces for the public, including a new coffee shop complete with a spill-out terrace, as well as outdoor seating spots along Millgate.

Businesses interested in locating to Civic are encouraged to register an early interest online at: www.capitalandcentric.com/civic

The design is aiming for the workspace to achieve an EPC A energy efficiency rating and be BREEAM ‘excellent’ – viewed as the gold standard for best practice in sustainable design. Retrofitting Civic is expected to save over 2,600 tonnes of CO2 when compared to a new building of the same size – the equivalent of taking more than 1,200 cars off the road, making it ‘one of the town’s most sustainable workplaces’.

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