The System Works, But Not for the People Living Next to It: What Wigan Tells Us About Modern Development

30 April 2026

Paul Francis

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A Local Story That Feels Increasingly Familiar

What is happening in parts of Wigan may look, at first glance, like a local planning dispute. Large-scale warehouse developments rising close to residential areas, residents voicing concerns about noise, traffic, flooding and loss of privacy, and a council insisting that the proper processes have been followed. On paper, it is a story that fits neatly within the rules of modern development.

Large stone head sculpture in a park, surrounded by green grass, flowers, and street lamps. Modern glass building in the background. Cloudy sky. — Orwellian Wigan by Gary Rogers

Yet speak to those living next to these sites, and a different picture begins to emerge. Homes overshadowed by vast industrial buildings, concerns about drainage and water flow, increased vehicle movement on roads never designed for that volume, and perhaps most unsettling of all, security infrastructure that now looks directly into spaces that were once considered private. These are not abstract planning concerns. They are changes that reshape everyday life.

The more closely you look, the clearer it becomes that Wigan is not an isolated case. It is a visible example of something that is happening across the UK, where the system functions as intended, but the outcome does not feel like a fair balance for the people most affected.

When Approval Does Not Mean Acceptance

There is no suggestion that these developments have been built without permission. They have moved through the planning system, been assessed, debated and ultimately approved. Councils are required to consider economic benefits, land use, infrastructure and environmental factors, and in many cases, warehouse developments tick the right boxes.

They promise jobs, investment and long-term economic activity. They make use of land that may already be designated for industrial or mixed use. From a planning perspective, they can be justified.

But there is a gap between approval and acceptance, and it is in that gap where much of the frustration sits. Residents can object, sign petitions and attend consultations, yet still find that the outcome is largely unchanged. The process allows for participation, but not necessarily for influence. This is not a failure of procedure. It is a limitation of what the procedure is designed to achieve.

Living With the Consequences

What matters most is not the planning application itself, but what happens once the development becomes reality.

In Wigan, residents have raised concerns that go beyond aesthetics. Flooding has been linked, rightly or wrongly, to changes in land use and drainage patterns. Increased traffic brings noise, congestion and safety worries. Infrastructure that once served a smaller population struggles to cope with the added demand.

Then there are the less obvious impacts. Security systems, including CCTV, are often installed as part of large industrial sites. While they serve a legitimate purpose, their placement can have unintended consequences for neighbouring homes, introducing a level of surveillance that feels intrusive in what were previously private spaces.

Individually, each of these issues might be manageable. Together, they represent a significant shift in how people experience their own neighbourhood.

The Rise of the Warehouse Economy

To understand why this is happening, it is necessary to look beyond Wigan.

The growth of online retail, next-day delivery and global supply chains has created an enormous demand for logistics space. Warehouses are no longer remote facilities placed far from where people live. They are increasingly positioned close to major roads and population centres, where they can serve customers more efficiently.

Large gray warehouse with a fenced yard, surrounded by road and grass. Overcast sky, with a black car on the road. — Poundland Warehouse, South Lancs Industrial Estate, Bryn by Gary Rogers

Wigan, with its proximity to key motorway networks, is an ideal location from a logistics perspective. What makes sense for distribution networks, however, does not always align with the needs of residential communities.

This tension is not unique to one town. It is a feature of a broader economic shift, where convenience and efficiency are prioritised, often at the expense of localised impact.

When Consultation Feels Like a Formality

A recurring theme in situations like this is the feeling that consultation exists, but does not meaningfully shape the outcome.

Legally, councils are required to notify certain residents, publish plans and allow time for responses. In practice, that information can be difficult to access, easy to overlook or hard to interpret without specialist knowledge. By the time the scale of a development becomes fully understood, the process may already be too far advanced to change.

This creates a sense of decisions being made around people rather than with them. The framework allows for input, but the influence of that input can feel limited. It is here that trust begins to erode, not because rules have been broken, but because the experience of those rules does not feel equitable.

A System Designed for Balance, But Delivering Imbalance

Planning systems are built on the idea of balance. Economic growth must be weighed against environmental impact, infrastructure against demand, and development against community well-being.

The difficulty is that these factors are not always equal in practice. Economic arguments are often clear, measurable and immediate. Community impacts, particularly those that affect quality of life, can be harder to quantify and easier to downplay.

Over time, this can lead to outcomes that consistently favour development, even when local resistance is strong. The system functions, but the balance it produces does not always feel fair to those who live with the results.

What Wigan Should Teach Us

If there is a lesson to be taken from Wigan, it is not that development should stop. Growth, investment and infrastructure are all necessary parts of a functioning economy.

The lesson is that the current approach is leaving gaps that need to be addressed.

Communities need clearer, more accessible information at the earliest stages of planning. Consultation needs to feel meaningful rather than procedural. Infrastructure considerations, from drainage to transport, need to be treated as central, not secondary. And the lived experience of residents needs to carry more weight alongside economic arguments.

Without these changes, situations like this will continue to repeat, not as isolated incidents, but as a pattern.

A Modern Norm That Deserves Scrutiny

What is happening in Wigan is not an anomaly. It is an example of how modern development is unfolding across the country.

Large-scale projects are moving closer to where people live. Decisions are being made within systems that prioritise efficiency and growth. And communities are being asked, in effect, to adapt after the fact.

The system, in a technical sense, is working. Applications are processed, regulations are followed and developments are delivered.

But for the people living next to them, the outcome can feel very different.

And that is where the conversation needs to shift, from whether the system functions to whether it functions fairly.

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Jeremy Hunt announced earlier in October the National Living Wage would increase from £10.42 to £11. It’s a good start but is it enough to help with the cost-of-living crisis? For those who aren’t aware, the national living wage is different from the national minimum wage. It’s the lowest amount workers aged 23 and over can be paid. It’s not a recommendation, it's the law.

Annually, the government determines wage rates after considering guidance from the independent advisory body, the Low Pay Commission. Typically, the commission's recommendations are accepted by the ministers. The government had previously established a goal for the national living wage, aiming to attain a level equivalent to two-thirds of median hourly pay by October of the upcoming year. While the Low Pay Commission has yet to officially confirm its recommendations for the next year, it anticipates that the wage rate required to meet the government's objective will fall within the range of £10.90 to £11.43.

A care assistant was interviewed by the BBC saying that a pay raise would “help for now” but with the costs of necessities like food and fuel constantly rising she felt her wages would still be “playing catch up”. That being said it would still help and she and her partner might be able to cover bills and put money aside for savings.

It says so much about the state of the country right now when a wage increase, that still isn’t really enough with inflation, might just allow a household to have barely enough income for bills and possibly some savings. That should be a given in this country. There is no way in the 21st century we should find people struggling just to live in Britain. There’s enough money in this country for that to be possible yet the greed of corporations still prevails.

I feel it’s very important to point out this wage increase is only for people 23 and above. What about young people who have a family? They still need to provide for their children. I struggle to see how age matters when you consider this. Is the government saying your family doesn’t matter as much if you’re young?

Some people might say benefits are the answer here. That would be ironic as Jeremy Hunt announced ministers would be looking once again at the benefits system and the requirements for applying to certain benefits. He said this was due to things “going in the wrong direction” due to around 100,000 people leaving the workforce each year for what Mr. Hunt described as a “life on benefits”. Once again the Tories aren’t really interested in helping people during a time when they really need it.

It feels like the general election is close but in truth, it’s not. The Tories don’t have to call an early one and in truth why would they when it’s obvious they wouldn’t win right now? It’s not until January 2025 that a general election must be called. We still have well over a year of Rishi Sunak and the conservatives. How long can this country survive without new ideas that focus on the entire point of a country, its people?

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The increase in the national living wage was needed and it certainly will help people. That being said I’m still sceptical as to whether it will be enough as the cost of living continues to rise. The Tories cannot just stop here, they must continue to serve the British people, do the right thing, and provide the necessary support for families up and down the country.