THE PLAN VOLUME 4 | ATHERTON CONTENTS AT 1. INTRODUCTION HERTON 2. ATHERTON TODAY 3. OUR VISION 4. DELIVERY FOREWORD With its great schools, high quality network. greenspace, attractive heritage buildings and excellent road and rail We know that a high quality, diverse transport connections, Atherton has housing offer is key to supporting much to be proud of. town centres. Atherton already has several developments underway and Atherton’s centre continues to more are planned, including up to thrive as a bustling local town with a 2,000 new homes to the south and diverse mix of unique independent east of the town centre. We must shops and leisure venues and ensure that we create sustainable a developing quality night-time urban neighbourhoods through new economy with an increasing number housing development, providing not of busy restaurants, cafes and only high-quality homes but also the bars. Atherton’s location close to opportunity to live, work and play in a Manchester also offers great potential desirable setting. for future growth. Atherton is one of the best-connected This Plan is the first step in helping towns in the north west, with road to achieve that growth, highlighting links to the M61, M60 and M6 what we already have in the town motorways and with a choice of and surrounding area, and what we two railway stations. More recently, can build on for the future. Atherton has also benefitted from the Leigh – Salford – Manchester A considerable opportunity is the Guided Busway and there are further huge amount of development in opportunities to improve transport and around the town. By way of infrastructure - for example the example, Logistics North is a major development of “tram-train” links employment sites which is less than which would enable local residents to 2 miles from Atherton town centre, access Metro-style transport services and has already attracted a range to Wigan and Manchester using the of international companies, creating existing rail network. new job and business opportunities. It’s important not only that we There are many exciting capture the full value and benefits opportunities for Atherton to take of this development for Atherton advantage of over the next few years, residents, but that we continue to but this will only be achieved through build on this growth, attracting more the combined efforts of the private high-quality employers to Atherton, and public sectors, local businesses, especially through the supply chain residents and other stakeholders. There is a genuine sense of partners alike to help Atherton realise community in Atherton and testament its full potential, creating sustainable to this is the considerable effort from growth for all. local councillors in engaging with local businesses and residents to Councillor David Molyneux help shape this Plan. We look forward to working alongside developers, inward investors, businesses, elected members, residents and strategic 01 INTRODUCTION Exciting things are happening in Whilst socially Atherton very much Greater Manchester. As the biggest identifies with Manchester, it also economy and most populous city has close infrastructure links with region in the Northern Powerhouse, Liverpool City Region and Bolton too. Greater Manchester is ‘turning As such, Atherton is exceptionally heads’. well positioned to continue to grow. Atherton’s location close to Atherton is currently home to around Manchester City Centre and 15,000 people; however this is the centre of other large towns, set to increase with new housing has helped it become both an developments already in the pipeline established commuter town and creating over 1,700 new homes. a thriving business location – and means it is well-positioned to take Founded in the 13th century, advantage of future growth too. Atherton has its roots as a traditional market town, and has a range of Located in the borough of Wigan, listed buildings and a town centre Atherton will play a central role in conservation area that characterise a borough-wide economy that is its rich history. Going forward, we anticipated to grow to £5.2 billion want Atherton to play a bigger role as over the next 10-years, as well as a district centre of the borough, and delivering 10,000 new jobs and it is a town with fantastic potential to 10,000 new homes across Wigan. do so. Atherton is already one of the North document does not limit itself to the West’s best connected small towns, town centre, this is a core priority and by both road and rail. It’s adjacent to an area in which we believe some of the M61, and less than 30 mins from the biggest gains can be made over the centre of Manchester using the coming years. North West’s first guided busway. Atherton also has excellent rail We know that Atherton is already a connections with two stations on the great place to live, work and visit, Manchester to Southport line. but it has the ingredients to become one of the most desirable places in This Investment Framework sets out the North-West. This document is our our objectives and aspirations for plan to achieve that. Atherton, outlining several ambitious schemes, regeneration priorities and development areas. Whilst this Atherton Manchester 02 ATHERTON TODAY CONNECTIVITY Located between the A580 East Lancs Road, M6, M60, M58 and M61, as well as close to the M62 and M56, Atherton is one of the best connected towns in the North West. Atherton has a choice of two local railway stations, Atherton and Hag Fold, providing local services to Manchester and Wigan and, further afield, to Southport and Kirkby. The closest major rail hub is Wigan, recently announced as one of the new HS2 hubs, and this provides additional frequent local services as well as direct national connections including London, Leeds, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow. A potential tram-train route Manchester – Atherton – Wigan has been considered by Transport for Greater Manchester and included as part of their tram-train strategy for Greater Manchester, to be taken forward in conjunction with the wider work on future transport priorities and the emerging components of a longer-term transport strategy. Atherton is a short drive from reduces peak journey times to/ both Manchester and Liverpool from Manchester by 30-minutes. International Airports too – providing The multi-award winning hybrid bus invaluable global connections. The service features Wi-Fi, USB charging North West’s first guided busway points, comfortable leather seating also provides a highly reliable, and climate control – all of which low-emissions bus service between significantly enhance passenger Atherton and Manchester along experience. Already, passenger use a prioritised route. The scheme has far exceeded its targets with over connects communities and business 2 million passengers travelling in the centres along the route, and first year of operation. V2 Atherton 582 to Bolton d Town Centre 68 to Farnworth d M d CaptainRoa Fol a anc o R h e B olton s ter Road R an d oad L a Highfield ggs o Cle R T y We h ld g e s i s t e l L e V2 y Little Hulton 5 582 R 5 o 7 1 a . M 2 d e a A5 5 v n B A c h ge e ta s Leigh S hu i te ttle rm r S Tyldesley A t. R o a e d n ue La E 582 en V1 Av t 68 a V1 r st The Ma o nche P&R ster M Leigh WAY Roa D BUS d Walkden Bus Station UIDE A 45 G s t l e Spaces W P&R y a V1 . 130 Spaces Walkden S G U l 2 a ID V2 kd t E 3 2 2 L C . D 5 B 8 h 0 B e S US h p a 5 W n A M in A A g 6 n p Y 6 0 in e u g R y W Jenn l St. o l ay o a C Newearth M d a 572 d A Road V3 V4 Ellenbrook l n ch to Kearsley, O e The Loom Retail and art st Farnworth & Bolton d Astley er a M Entertainment Park o a R R nc o h East d 250 Spaces ad n e Lanc Roa o ster Road as hire t oad P&R g R G r n ire e i sh e E r ca a L n r an eig 68 s a L h l t e st R Worsley V1 a a Vantage Stand A W E oa L d c a Swinton M60 h n V2 c a 582 Stand C L s a h i n re V3 e 2 W R V4 n o o to W rs a o le d g e rs y n ley d. R R oa rtin d a La M P an ch es n te Roe Green d r rto R oa o Ba R a Ea d 68 to Salford Royal Hospital, st Lan cas Eccles & intu Trafford Centre hire R Irlams o’ th’ Height oad d Br o a Roa d r Pendleton Church 2 to Eccles & St intu Trafford Centre Bolton Road re alight here from Vantage services aste e c t n for Salford Shopping Centre - Vantage routes V1 V2 V3 V4 a L V1 Just a 2 minute walk away 2 (Bolton to intu Trafford Centre) V2 576 Eccles A A576 Old 68 (Farnworth to intu Trafford Centre) R V3 oad V4 582 (Leigh to Bolton) 6 6 0 Terminus point V1 5 Salford Shopping Salford A Vantage bus stop Centre Crescent A 6 University Park & Ride site P&R Pendleton of Salford Bus runs in the direction of arrow Manchester City Centre see map overleaf for route details within the city centre and Oxford Road 20% of respondents use the busway as opposed to their previous journey by car.