The skyline over a quiet Tyldesley estate now bristles with steel, and a once-ordinary boundary feels impossibly close.
Two vast sheds rising beside the Henford Estate have turned a local planning row into a test of how far logistics growth can press into residential life. For some, the scale resembles a ship run aground behind their hedge. For others, it means tough choices about whether to move, challenge, or wait and see.
What has been built
The development forms part of a 350,000 sq ft industrial scheme on the edge of Tyldesley, Wigan. Plans show four large warehouses in total, with council approval allowing two buildings up to 18.3 metres (60ft) high. One 140,000 sq ft unit has already been pre-let to delivery firm Whistl on a 15‑year term. Residents say the nearest structure sits roughly 30 metres from back fences.
From garden level, the steel frames dominate the view. Homes that once looked onto fields or low roofs now face sheer cladding panels and ridge lines that blot out long slices of sky. Several households told this newspaper they underestimated the final volume during consultation and only grasped the scale when the skeletons went up.
The scheme totals 350,000 sq ft across four sheds, with two structures approved to a maximum height of 18.3m.
Key detail
Figure
Total site floorspace
350,000 sq ft
Maximum approved height
18.3m (60ft)
Pre-let unit
Whistl, 140,000 sq ft
Lease term
15 years
Approximate distance to homes
30m
Public meeting turnout
200+ residents
How neighbours say daily life has changed
Alarm has spread through the estate as the bulk of the build became obvious. A retired teacher who has lived there since the late 1970s described stepping outside and being hit by the sightline. He calls it an intrusion he never imagined would sit that close. A former police officer says he has stopped using his garden because the presence feels overpowering. A young family worries about selling later, fearing the view alone will deter buyers.
One resident says a dip in flooring and a cracked wall appeared earlier this year and wonders if construction activity or groundworks have played a role. At this stage, that connection remains unproven and would need expert assessment. Others fear a sharp loss of sunlight, especially in winter months when the sun sits low and long shadows stretch across small gardens.
Fears over house prices
Talk of five‑figure losses circulates on WhatsApp groups and at community meetings. Residents cite the visual impact and proximity as reasons they believe buyers will mark down offers. Some are already considering listing up to test the market. There is no definitive data yet, and valuations will vary street by street. Local agents often look to precedent sales; a cluster of transactions after the warehouses complete will show how values settle.
More than 200 neighbours have mobilised, forming a campaign group and demanding changes to screening, hours and traffic plans.
Construction, light and peace
Several households say noise, dust and vibration have disrupted routines. Landscaping mounds and tree planting are promised to soften views, according to the council. Neighbours question whether screening can meaningfully hide a wall as high as a suburban lamppost stacked on a bungalow.
What the council and developer say
Wigan Council says the scheme passed through the standard consultation and committee process. Officers point to conditions that require landscaping to screen and soften the massing and pledge to monitor the site through construction. The council frames the project as a source of jobs and investment and says it will ensure delivery matches approvals. The developer, PLP, declined to comment.
Officials say new planting and bunds will “screen and soften” the view while they monitor the build against consented plans.
How planning rules handle size, light and noise
Planning permission weighs many factors: employment, traffic, landscape, design, noise and neighbour amenity. Rights to light are usually a private civil matter rather than a planning decision, though overshadowing and visual dominance can be considered. Conditions often restrict working hours, vehicle movements and lighting spill; non‑compliance can be enforced by the council.
Overshadowing: assessed via daylight and sunlight reports, though suburban schemes rarely trigger a formal “right to light” claim.
Noise and dust: controlled by a construction management plan; breaches can be investigated under environmental health powers.
Traffic: delivery windows and routing can be conditioned to avoid school runs and peak times.
Screening: earth bunds, acoustic fencing and trees reduce, but do not remove, visual impact.
Property damage: keep a dated photo record; independent surveyors can assess whether works plausibly caused cracks or movement.
What you can do if a major build lands next door
Ask the council for the decision notice and conditions; check heights, setbacks and operating hours match the consent.
Log noise, dust and vibration with dates and times; send reports to environmental health for investigation.
Request the construction management plan and site contact; escalate persistent breaches to enforcement.
Commission a RICS survey if you suspect damage; notify your insurer promptly with evidence.
Seek planning advice on screening tweaks, extra bunding or acoustic measures through a minor‑material amendment.
If light loss is severe and measurable, get specialist advice on a potential rights‑to‑light claim.
The bigger trend driving sheds to the doorstep
Greater Manchester’s appetite for last‑mile logistics has grown with e‑commerce. Operators want large floorplates, high eaves and quick access to motorways. Land near homes often sits where factories once stood, and planning policy steers jobs to brownfield plots. Residents near these edges feel the squeeze as industrial footprints scale up to modern heights.
Tyldesley reflects this: long‑term housebuilding plans intersect with logistics corridors, raising tensions between job creation, freight efficiency and suburban amenity. Campaign groups increasingly push for tighter buffers, better design and stronger construction controls rather than a flat “no”.
What happens next on the estate
The community group that drew more than 200 people is compiling a checklist: heightened tree screens, darker cladding to reduce glare, motion‑sensitive yard lighting, delivery curfews and independent air quality monitoring. Residents also want clarity on which 90 addresses received letters and why some back‑to‑back homes say they were not contacted.
If the developer seeks to fit out for a 24‑hour operation, the hours, lighting and acoustic conditions will matter more than the steel. People living closest say those details will decide whether they can use their gardens next summer or retreat indoors at twilight.
Extra context that could help your decision
A quick daylight check can be done at home. On a clear day, stand at your back door two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset. Photograph the sun’s path each time for a week. You will see how often the new roofline denies direct sun, and at what times it bites hardest. That pattern will help when discussing planting heights or fence designs with planners.
If you are weighing a move, ask three local agents for written valuations: current, post‑completion, and with enhanced screening in place. Compare the spread. A small price hit might be offset by quiet hours, low‑glare lighting and a thick green belt of trees. A large hit suggests pushing harder now, while conditions and mitigation remain negotiable.
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