Golborne Station disposal of school playing field land – Section 77 Consultation

Golborne Station – School Playing Fields Consultation

In October 2024, Wigan Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) submitted a planning application for a new rail station in Golborne, located near to the site of the previous Golborne Station. TfGM consulted with key stakeholders and the local community in January and February 2024 before submitting the planning application. You can read more about the station proposals, planning application, and response to the previous consultation at www.tfgm.com/projects/golborne-rail-station.

As part of the Golborne Station project, we need to provide safe and viable escape routes from the station, which will require the use of a portion of playing fields from All Saints Catholic Primary School. This is known as a ‘Secondary Means of Escape’. This route would provide a safe exit from the eastern platform if the escape point to the north of the station is not accessible.

We have also submitted plans to create improved walking, wheeling, cycling, and scooting links for the local community living on the eastern side of the rail line. The new accessible path will offer alternative access to the town centre. The provision of these new routes will require the use of a portion of playing fields from St Thomas C of E Junior and Infant School.

To mitigate against the loss of these small areas of playing fields, we are proposing significant improvements to the remaining playing fields at both schools.

St Thomas C of E Junior and Infant School improvements:

• Eastern ramp access to the station, improving access to Golborne High Street for Lowton residents
• New public footpath and cycle route
• Safety measures: CCTV and lighting on access path
• School staff-only car park to reduce local traffic impact
• Improved drainage for year-round field use
• Enclosed and fenced school field with provision for football pitch and junior rounders pitch
• Forest school within the enclosed field
• Local grassroots clubs' use of the football pitch

All Saints Catholic Primary School improvements:

• Secondary escape path from Golborne Station
• Secured path with locked gates for emergencies (operated by TfGM)
• Fenced path with CCTV and lighting
• Expanded forest school, doubling its current size
• Enclosed and fenced school field with provision for football pitch and junior rounders pitch

This consultation is running from 10 March to 21 April 2025. After this consultation closes, we will consider all the feedback we have received on our proposals before applying to the Department for Education for consent to use part of the playing fields.

You can provide feedback to the consultation through the following channels:

·        Online using the feedback form link

·        Completing a paper feedback form, available to pick up at the respective schools.

Your opinions and feedback are crucial to ensuring a safe and well-connected new rail station for Golborne, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Wigan Council Consultation Team