Developer Watson has handed over a block of 22 affordable flats to housing group Jigsaw Homes at the former Pit Pony Inn site on Low Bank Road in Ashton-in-Makerfield. The units will be offered for social rent.
Development Details
The housing complex comprises 19 one-bedroom apartments and three two-bedroom apartments, all contained within a part two-storey and part three-storey building. The development also includes landscaped outdoor spaces and off-road parking.
The site had stood vacant since 2022, after the pub closed. Watson described the project as transforming a long-vacant brownfield site into a sustainable residential development that delivers affordable homes and lasting social value for the local community.
Community Response and Planning
Prior to the scheme being approved in 2024, 36 objections were submitted to Wigan Council, along with concerns from ward councillors. Issues raised included the design and height of the building and potential harm to neighbours' privacy.
Mike Watson, director at Watson, said: "Projects like Pit Pony demonstrate the important role that brownfield regeneration can play in addressing housing need. Wigan council’s housing strategy identifies a need for 972 new homes each year, and developments like this help meet that demand by bringing underused sites back into productive use and delivering high-quality affordable homes for local people."
Partnership and Impact
Katie Marshall from Jigsaw Homes said: "These new homes will provide high-quality, affordable accommodation for local people in Ashton-in-Makerfield, helping more residents access secure housing in a well-connected community. By bringing a long-vacant site back into use, the development also demonstrates how underused land can be transformed to meet local housing need."
Watson added: "Working closely with Jigsaw Homes and the council, we have transformed a long-vacant site into a development that will deliver lasting benefits for the community. Affordable housing remains at the heart of our approach, and we are committed to creating long-term social value through regeneration, creating places that support local communities for future generations."
