Families dwelling in shadow of 4 monumental ‘supersheds’ accuse its ‘dystopian’ safety alarms and blue lights of maintaining them awake at night time – months after their gardens have been flooded following its building
Families living in the shadow of four giant warehouses say their lives are now being blighted by its ‘dystopian’ security system.
The four bleak, grey warehouses – which stand up to 60ft tall – are part of developer Peel Group’s Astley Business Park in Tyldesley, Wigan, and were signed off by the local authority in June 2024.
Hundreds of surrounding homes in the market town are dwarfed by the structures, with residents complaining the 350,000 sq ft site has caused endless issues for them.
Footage shows flashing blue lights shining into the windows of the homes causing families’ sleepless nights, with residents claiming they’ve captured evidence of a ‘dystopian’ security system triggered by people simply walking along a public footpath.
Frustrated residents say the automated alert is the latest flashpoint in an ongoing planning row, including major flooding issues in their gardens and on school routes.
Craig Davies, 39, of the Astley Warehouses Action group, said: ‘I understand that building sites need security, but this is so close to our houses.
‘It doesn’t feel appropriate to have flashing lights and a loud warning.
‘It shouts at us every time we walk past with our dogs.’
The four bleak, grey warehouses – which stand up to 60ft tall – are part of the Astley Business Park in Tyldesley, Wigan, and were signed off by the local authority in June 2024
Residents claim they’ve captured evidence of a ‘dystopian’ security system triggered by people simply walking along a public footpath
Footage shows flashing blue lights shining into the windows of the homes causing families’ sleepless nights
One clip shows the warning message sounding as the perimeter fence is approached.
It says: ‘This is a security alert. You are being monitored. A security guard has been informed.’
Another clip captures the intense blue light flashing across the estate.
Further footage taken inside a property shows bedroom blinds glowing as the light shines through the window.
Mr Davies added: ‘Every resident has experienced it, especially over Christmas.
‘Weirdly, when the site closed down in December, they turned on all the lights at night and installed additional security cameras.
‘If any of us walk our dogs near the paths next to the site, they go off.’
He added: ‘The lights flash through people’s blinds into their bedrooms. It’s pretty shocking.
‘The community feels like this is in retaliation for the amount of publicity we’ve brought to the warehouses.
‘Residents have reported it to environmental health because it’s affecting people’s sleep.
‘It’s a very, very strange situation. People are comparing it to a dystopian world.’
One clip shows the warning message sounding as the perimeter fence is approached. It says: ‘This is a security alert. You are being monitored. A security guard has been informed’
A campaign group has been set up to fight the development, with more than 200 people attending a recent meeting
Hundreds of surrounding homes in the market town are dwarfed by the structures, with residents complaining the 350,000 sq ft site has caused endless issues for them
Many residents say they have been unable to sell their homes or had thousands of pounds knocked off the value, leaving them trapped and in despair.
Locals have been fighting against the warehouses since plans from developer PLP were given the green light.
They’ve argued that the buildings on the 350,000 sq ft industrial site, which have been compared to ‘cruise liners’, are not appropriate for the area.
Delivery giant Whistl has already snapped up one of the 140,000 sq ft units on a long-term lease.
There have been numerous complaints about the estate since construction started, including about flooding.
Residents have linked the work to their gardens flooding for the first time, with one path to a nearby school left submerged in water.
In response, Wigan Council agreed to dig drainage channels to reduce flooding.
Teachers at a school just yards away said they struggle to conduct lessons as their voices are drowned out by the sound of work taking place.
Parents had to piggy-back their children through an ankle-deep flooded path caused by four ‘monstrous’ 60ft tall warehouses
A resident looks out into her back garden at the giant grey warehouses during their construction
Resident Dawn Hornby had only just moved into her home when construction began.
Overlooking the massive structure from her window, she told BBC News: ‘It felt like it went up overnight, it just grew and grew and grew. If you can imagine a football stadium in your back garden.
‘I never in a million years expected it this big. They just cheated everybody, I feel cheated.’
Ms Hornby said when she asked one of the workers what was going on when she moved in, they told her it would be ‘low lying’, adding: ‘You won’t see them, don’t worry love you’re not going to see it.’
John Peters, who is part of Residents Steering Group, has also seen his life transformed by the controversial development.
He said: ‘Suddenly, probably at the start of the summer holidays, this monster started to grow in the field.
‘This is my retirement home and it’s a big, big disappointment to then see this happen.’
An independent audit commissioned by the authority concluded last week that correct planning processes were followed.
But a report found that residents were given ‘no meaningful opportunity’ to engage before plans were submitted and slammed developer consultation as ‘wholly inadequate’.
Wigan Council, developer PLP and construction firm TanRo have been approached for comment.
