Fed-up residents whose homes are being dwarfed by four ‘monstrous’ warehouses are demanding an immediate halt to building work.
Householders in Tyldesley, Wigan, said it’s a “systemic failure” that the towering 18-metre grey sheds were signed off by planning chiefs. Shocking images have shown two partially-built ‘cruise liner-like’ warehouses towering 60ft behind their homes.
The demand comes as the only councillor who voted against the warehouse plans has quit Wigan Council’s planning committee, arguing the consultation process is not working. The warehouses form part of the Astley Business Park development, which includes four vast industrial units spanning 350,000 sq ft.
Two are permitted to reach heights of 18.3m (60ft), with one already leased to delivery giant Whistl. Retired teacher John Peters, 71, lives just metres from a massive warehouse and is one of 5,000 signatories of a petition insisting construction work should be halted.
He said: “We want it stopped until we get an independent investigation into Wigan Council’s planning department. Our understanding is that impact assessments were not properly carried out.
“When there are 18m high warehouses just metres from people’s houses, it beggars belief that this could be approved. Work should be suspended until we’re given answers.
“The warehouses are something like 80 per cent complete and they’re moving quickly towards opening in spring 2026. But the noise from construction is only getting worse. God help us when the 24/7 working starts and 250 lorries are rolled out.”
He was one of a number of residents to meet with the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and his MP Michael Wheeler to discuss the plans last week.
Mr Peters said: “We are still waiting for them to respond to the issues raised at the meeting. Andy Burnham said his powers are limited when dealing with a local authority’s planning decisions, but we asked him to support our actions.
“When I first spoke to him, he said he was shocked by the development – we haven’t had anyone look at the thing who doesn’t have that same reaction. Throughout the meeting, he was sympathetic and did seem to be listening to us.”
The calls for a suspension come after Cllr James Fish quit Wigan Council’s planning committee.
He was the only councillor who voted against the original warehouse plans – and has since claimed some colleagues admitted privately they “didn’t realise how tall” they were going to be.
He said: “We’re supposed to serve communities with integrity, but we’ve got councillors coming out privately saying they didn’t realise how tall the Tyldesley warehouses were going to be and that they wish they’d voted against it, councillors falling asleep in meetings and turning up late.”
Cllr Fish has also argued that the current public consultation process needs an urgent overhaul. A petition launched by Astley Action Group accuses Wigan Council of “forcing through” the plans without proper scrutiny.
Craig Davies, 39, who is behind the petition, said: “There are a lot of things that don’t look right. We’re hoping the council will see sense and launch an investigation.”
He insisted that a suitable environmental impact assessment was not carried out, leaving neighbours subject to “pollution, noise, and health problems”.
The petition says: “This is a systemic failure that demands independent investigation and accountability. Government must intervene and review how this was allowed to happen.”
It can be found here. Wigan Council, Andy Burnham and Michael Wheeler MP were approached for comment.
