A DEVELOPER'S vision to bring luxury homes in the town centre has been hailed as an "icon which will change Leigh".

Leigh MP Jo Platt took a tour of the Loom Wharf apartments at Mather Lane, positioned on the bank of the Bridgewater Canal.

After the £13m regeneration of the Grade II listed site is complete, it promises to bring a new lease of life to the centre of the town.

Described by the MP as one of Leigh’s "red brick giants", the old cotton mill, which was first built in 1882, is under construction by JP McGuire Developments.

Having stood empty for over 20 years, following its transformation it will offer 99 luxury one, two and three bed apartments, with prices starting at £78,000.

On the development, the MP said: “Anyone who visits this development will be blown away. What JP McGuire Developments has done is take one of Leigh’s red brick giants, consider its industrial past and bring it forward with the vision of an industrial future for our town.

“Loom Wharf helps you imagine what Leigh used to be and envisage what it could be like in the future. This development is an icon which will change Leigh.”

Jonathan Twentyman, founder of JP McGuire Developments, who is originally from Leigh and was a student at St Joseph’s, the primary school next to the Loom Wharf building, added: “Our main goal is to deliver a development which is about more than the look, feel and space. We’ve designed Loom Wharf to encourage interaction, with facilities that will create a new community."

Loom Wharf will also have a large dining room and cinema, both of which can be booked by residents.