Greggs, Chick-fil-A and major new developments planned across Greater Manchester

A Greggs in Wigan, a Chick-fil-A in Tameside and two massive new towers in Manchester are amongst the major developments planned across the city-region.

Ashton-in-Makerfield is set to welcome a new Greggs bakery in place of the former William Hills betting shop premises on Gerard Street. Then over in Ashton-under-Lyne, on the other side of Greater Manchester, there are plans to bring the US fast-food chain Chick-fil-A.

The American fried chicken behemoth would take the palace of the old Pizza Hut site on Snipe Retail Park.

In the city centre, Gary Neville’s firm Relentless Developments have plans for two new tower blocks. A hotel, apartments and offices are all part of that scheme.

Here is a breakdown of each borough’s recently submitted public notices…

Manchester

Gary Neville’s property firm reveals plans for new hotel and apartments

The development firm co-founded by Gary Neville is planning a new scheme for a hotel, apartments and offices in Manchester next to the River Irwell.

Relentless Developments has submitted a scoping report to Manchester council for the work in two new towers. It would see two towers built in the city with 172 hotel rooms, 434 apartments, and eight floors of offices. The towers would be 35 and 46 storeys tall.

The scheme would be based at St Mary’s Parsonage in the city centre, near Deansgate, and the proposal includes the demolition of the existing Cardinal House building.

Salford

Eccles community space scrapped as part of new plans for affordable housing

Plans to build a nine-storey affordable housing block with a ground floor community centre have been scrapped in favour of reduced design, it is understood.

A planning application previously submitted to the council by ForHousing, a social housing landlord based in Eccles, would have seen a nine-floor tower erected on land off St Mary’s Road. The designs included office and service space on the ground floor, where it was agreed the Salford Foundation could move in for a 25-year lease at a peppercorn rent to continue providing vital support for vulnerable individuals.

But after being ‘recommended for approval’ by council officers, ForHousing developed an alternative plan, scrapping the community space on the ground floor and delivering six storeys of affordable housing. The new planning application was submitted this week and features 35 affordable apartments, along with cycle parking and landscaping.

Stockport

The nightmare gridlocked Stockport road to Manchester could get even worse

People living in a rural Stockport village below the Peak District fear they may have to leave if a daily rush hour ‘nightmare’ gets worse.

Across Stockport, concerns are mounting as plans move forward that could see more than 8,000 homes built across what is currently classed as green belt. Called a Local Plan, it is a key document produced by councils outlining a vision for their boroughs and a roadmap for development over 15 years.

Stockport council is currently asking for public feedback on plans before a likely submission in the next few months. While town hall bosses believe the plan is legally sound, it is still around 8,000 homes short of the housing targets set by the UK Government.

Under the draft Local Plan, 1,000 homes could be built to the north and south of the A6 which cuts through the village. A Persimmon Homes planning application is also being considered to the north for over 200 homes off Windlehurst Road.

Tameside

Greater Manchester’s first Chick-fil-A planned for Ashton

Greater Manchester’s first Chick-fil-A drive-thru could soon be built in Ashton-under-Lyne.

The former home of Pizza Hut in Snipe Retail Park has been empty for more than a year. The pizza chain was one of 68 sites that shut in October 2025 due to financial struggles. 

Now there are plans to tear down part of the vacant restaurant and replace it with the new drive-thru.

The developer, CBRE Investment Management, who manage the Hampshire County Council Pension Fund, intend to lease the site to Chick-fil-A once it is complete.

Wigan

New pie shop for Ashton-in-Makerfield

Greggs is set to open a new store in the centre of Ashton-in-Makerfield. The baking giant has submitted plans for the former William Hills betting shop premises on Gerard Street.

Greggs wishes to install a new shopfront and get consent for logo displays and new signs for the town centre shop.

The site lies within the Ashton-in-Makerfield conservation area, where there is a statutory duty to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the area.

Pemberton building destroyed in devastating fire to be replaced as new plans announced

A rebuild is set for an industrial estate hit by a devastating fire earlier this year. In May, a huge blaze broke out in a commercial building in Leopold Street, Pemberton, sending a plume of smoke into the air.

The fire happened at equipment supplier HSP Site Services at the New Venture Business Park. Several fire crews attended and fought the blaze for more than two hours.

Images at the time showed thick plumes of smoke could be seen from many areas of the town.

In the past week, a planning application has been filed with Wigan council to build a taller building at the site, following its destruction. Planning reports said the replacement building has been deliberately designed to occupy the same footprint as the previous building.