Wigan Council Appoints Contractor for £50m Haigh Hall Refurbishment

Key Points

• Tilbury Douglas Construction has been appointed by Wigan Council to take the next phase forward in the development of Haigh Hall, which is a £50 million project.
• In pre-construction, the contractor will collaborate with the council and its design team for refining the plans for the renovation and improvement of the building.
• Haigh Hall is planned to be turned into a mixed-use cultural destination featuring galleries, learning and events spaces, café, retail spaces, offices, bedrooms for weddings, and even rooftop bar.
• Improvements include the creation of facilities in Haigh Woodland Park such as an energy centre, improved car parking facility, access roads, walking paths, lighting facilities, and a marquee for events.
• The financial assistance comes from sources like £20 million provided by the government’s Levelling Up Fund, over £25 million from the Wigan Council, and £5.5 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
• Construction of the new glasshouse in Bothy Yard for volunteers, learning, and events has started.
• According to the report from Place North West’s Dan Whelan, the regional director of Tilbury Douglas, Kabir Salihi, expressed that his firm is “proud to be working with Wigan Council on the next stage of the transformation of Haigh Hall.”

Wigan (Manchester Mirror) October 13, 2026 — Wigan Council has taken a significant step in its £50 million restoration of Haigh Hall by appointing Tilbury Douglas Construction to lead the project into its next pre-construction phase. The appointment means the council now has a contractor in place to help develop the detailed design, construction programme and delivery strategy for the Grade II* listed building.

The Manchester Evening News reported that Tilbury Douglas, a national construction firm with an office in Wigan, will work alongside Wigan Council and the project’s expert design team. Its immediate role will be to prepare for the main restoration works rather than begin the full internal refurbishment straight away.

As reported by the Manchester Evening News, a Wigan Council representative said: “This crucial phase will involve the project team working together to refine the design and schedule, conduct additional surveys and planning, and thoughtfully evaluate the construction strategy for the historic building prior to the main restoration efforts.”

Place North West also covered the appointment, reporting that Tilbury Douglas had been brought in for the pre-construction stage of the restoration. In that report, Dan Whelan quoted Mr Salihi as saying: “We are proud to be working with Wigan Council on the next stage of the transformation of Haigh Hall.”

Why Has a Contractor Been Appointed Now?

The appointment follows planning approval earlier in 2026 for the internal transformation of the hall. Wigan Council’s planning committee approved the proposals in April, along with listed building consent, allowing restoration work on the protected building to proceed.

According to the council’s April announcement, the application proposed a “comprehensive, sensitive restoration” of Haigh Hall and its conversion into a multi-use cultural destination. The council said internal works were expected to begin in the summer, alongside a tender process for a hospitality partner.

The appointment of Tilbury Douglas now moves the scheme from planning and design development into a more advanced delivery phase. The contractor’s work will include further surveys, planning, design refinement and assessment of how best to carry out construction work on the historic structure.

What Will the Restored Haigh Hall Include?

The council’s plans set out a substantial change of use for the hall, which has been owned by Wigan Council and listed at Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England.

The refurbished building is intended to become a mixed-use cultural venue. According to the Manchester Evening News, the proposals include:

• Art galleries and exhibition space.
• Educational facilities.
• Event space.
• Café and retail areas.
• Office space.
• Ten bedrooms to support future wedding and events use.
• A rooftop extension containing a bar.
• Infilling of part of the ground-floor inner courtyard to create kitchen space.

Wigan Council has described the wider ambition as creating a “nationally significant arts, culture and heritage destination.” Its project page says the completed hall is expected to include an art gallery, children’s education area, wedding and party event space, rooftop terrace, restaurant and bar.

What Work Is Planned Beyond the Hall?

The restoration is not limited to the building itself. The project also covers parts of the surrounding 250-acre Haigh Woodland Park.

Planned external improvements include a new energy centre, enhanced parking provision, new access roads, pedestrian paths and outdoor lighting. The council also plans to create an external marquee area for weddings and events.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund grant is directed towards outdoor elements of the estate. According to the Manchester Evening News, these include the Bothy, ornamental pond and walled gardens.

Work has already started on a new glasshouse at Bothy Yard. The council says it is being built on the site of the former glasshouse and will provide space for volunteers, education and events within Haigh’s kitchen gardens. It will include hot and cold sections for growing fruit and plants.

How Is the £50m Project Being Funded?

The scheme is funded through a combination of government regeneration funding, council investment and heritage grants. The Manchester Evening News reported that the government’s Levelling Up Fund has provided £20 million, while Wigan Council has committed more than £25 million in capital investment.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has provided £5.5 million for outdoor improvements across the estate.

Wigan Council’s own “Your questions answered” page states that the Levelling Up Fund award was £20 million, the council committed £24 million in match funding for the hall, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund granted £5.5 million alongside £3.6 million of council match funding. The council’s April announcement also referred to more than £25 million of council funding for the overall scheme.

Place North West has reported that more than £50 million is being invested across the wider Haigh estate by Wigan Council, Levelling Up funding, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England.

What Has Already Been Completed at Haigh Hall?

External restoration work on the hall was completed in summer 2025, according to Wigan Council. The council said a planning application for the interior renovation was submitted in October 2025.

The council later confirmed that planning permission and listed building consent were granted in April 2026. It said the approval enabled the Grade II* listed building to be restored and reimagined, with new gallery spaces intended to host exhibitions and cultural activity.

The BBC reported that the external restoration was completed last year and that interior work was set to begin after the plans were approved. It also reported that the interior restoration was anticipated to be completed by 2028.

When Could Haigh Hall Reopen?

Wigan Council’s project information states that the hall is expected to open in 2028.

The council has also given separate timings for other parts of the estate. In a February 2026 report on Lord Crawford’s visit, the council said the hall was due to open in 2028, Bothy Yard in 2027 and Plantation Gates in 2026.

The latest contractor appointment does not change the published completion date, but it does provide the delivery structure needed for the internal restoration phase to move forward.

Background of the Development

Haigh Hall is a historic country house in Haigh, within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester. It is owned by Wigan Council and is designated as a Grade II* listed building on the National Heritage List for England.

The building had declined in recent years, prompting the council to develop a wider restoration and regeneration programme. In January 2023, the hall was awarded £20 million from the government’s Levelling Up Fund to help create what the council described as a heritage destination of national significance.

The current masterplan covers both the hall and Haigh Woodland Park. It includes restoration of the Bothy Cottages and former zoo site into multi-use community assets, supported by a £3.78 million lottery grant, alongside the larger hall restoration programme.

In April 2026, Wigan Council’s planning committee approved the internal restoration proposals and granted listed building consent. The council said the scheme would create extensive gallery space, education and hospitality facilities, and cultural activity at the landmark site.

Prediction: How Could This Affect Wigan Residents and Visitors?

For Wigan residents, the appointment of Tilbury Douglas is likely to make the restoration more visible over the coming months, particularly through surveys, site preparation and further construction activity around the hall and park. The council has already begun work on the new Bothy Yard glasshouse, indicating that parts of the wider estate are progressing alongside the main building project.

If the project is delivered as planned, residents and visitors could gain access to a larger cultural and leisure destination by 2028. The proposed galleries, education space, café, restaurant, rooftop bar, event facilities and improved park infrastructure could increase the range of activities available at Haigh, while the planned parking, paths and lighting works may affect how people travel around the site during construction.

For local businesses, wedding providers, hospitality operators and tourism-related organisations, the completed venue could create new opportunities linked to events, weddings, exhibitions and visitor spending. However, the scale of construction and the need to protect a Grade II* listed building mean the final programme, costs and opening arrangements will depend on the outcome of the pre-construction work now being led by Tilbury Douglas.