A NEW planning chief has been appointed for the Wigan and Leigh area.

Martin Kimber will take over as director of planning at Wigan Council when John Sloane retires in November after more than 20 years in charge of the borough's planning service.

Mr Kimber, aged 46, is currently the Assistant Director of Planning and Transportation with Barnsley Council. Before joining the South Yorkshire council in 1996, he worked in a variety of planning positions for councils in Warrington, Lothian, Stockport, Manchester and Hartlepool.

He said: "I am very excited at the prospect of taking up my post and helping the borough to further develop its strengths and deliver an even stronger and more vital economy and community."

Manchester University graduate Mr Sloane joined the former Wigan County Borough Council in the late 1960s. He will be remembered as the driving force behind the building of The Galleries and the redevelopment of Wigan and Leigh town centres.