Haigh Hall to be turned into a boutique hotel and spa

Plans to turn Haigh Hall in Wigan into a boutique hotel and spa have been unanimously approved by Wigan Council's planning committee.

Permission was granted earlier this week to Contessa Hotels to restore the Grade II-listed property to its former glory.

The property will now be transformed into a luxury four-star boutique hotel with 30 en-suite bedrooms, a spa and a fitness centre. It will also include a new car park, landscaping and an additional ceremony room located on the roof of the hotel.

The £6m restoration of Haigh Hall is at the centre of a wider £12m regeneration plan for Haigh Woodland Park, which includes a new family adventure zone with a high ropes area and an adventure golf course, improved footpaths and heritage trails and a kitchen courtyard within the existing Stables Courtyard.

Once the work is complete, Haigh Hall will be removed from Historic England's Heritage at Risk register, which aims to protect and manage the historic environment.

David Molyneux, deputy leader of Wigan Council, said: "This is a really important step in securing the future of Haigh Hall. As part of the plans, the hall's original features will be brought back to life and areas that are off limits will be brought back into use."

He added: "Our main priority now is to finalise the plans to enable the work to begin as soon as possible."

Wigan Council's planning department has been working closely with Contessa Hotels and consulting conservation bodies Historic England and the Georgian Group to develop plans which aim to protect and preserve the hall's heritage.

Haigh Hall and Country Park is already a major visitor destination, attracting around 300,000 visitors each year. However, research indicates that enhancing the site and improving the existing facilities could attract even more visitors and bring much-needed revenue to the area.

The hall, which was built between 1827 and 1840 by James Lindsay, the 7th Earl of Balcarres, will still be owned by Wigan Council and leased to Contessa Hotels, which already operates two hotels in Merseyside: the five-AA-star, 18-bedroom Hillbark, Frankby, and the four-AA-star, 19-bedroom Leverhulme, Port Sunlight.

Haigh Hall to be developed as a 30-bedroom hotel >>

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