Manchester’s newest apartment building is ready to welcome its first residents from 16 July, as The Castings shows off its completed interiors.
This design-led development has 352 homes, ranging from well-thought-out studios to spacious three-bedroom apartments.
And The Castings residents also have access to some of the best amenities in the city, from a panoramic rooftop terrace to private dining spaces to a work hub, plus a gym and fitness studio.
It’s right in the heart of Piccadilly East, a neighbourhood that was recently named one of the best places to live by the Sunday Times, with venues like Diecast, Ducie Street Warehouse, and even Co-op Live on the doorstep.
Residents will also be at the heart of the city’s vibrant craft beer scene – brewery taprooms like Cloudwater and Track are just across the road and it’s only a short stroll from Freight Island too.
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The Castings is a brand-new Build To Rent community for the city, owned by the same group behind the luxury 5-star Lowry Hotel.
Its apartments have been finished to the highest standards with huge bedrooms with massive built-in wardrobes, well-equipped kitchens complete with top-of-the-range appliances, and stunning living spaces that are flooded with natural light.
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A typical day for residents at The Castings could start with a workout in the building’s own gym, kitted out with Technogym equipment that includes a free weights zone, squat rack, and cardio equipment, or taking on a class in the studio where virtual instructors are available seven days a week.
Then there’s an on-site home working hub with 12 desk spaces, three private booths, and a bookable meeting room, plus a media room with a huge sofa.
Just off the working hub is one of several roof terraces which looks out over a small but green square below.
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Click or swipe through the gallery to see inside The Castings apartments in Manchester
A roof terrace at The CastingsThe studios at The CastingsThe studio kitchenA bedroom in a studio at The CastingsThe living room in a one-bedroom apartmentThe kitchen/dining room in a one-bedroom apartmentThe kitchen/dining room in a two-bedroom apartmentA bedroom in the two-bedroom apartmentA bedroom in the two-bedroom apartmentAn en suite bathroomThe kitchen/dining room in a two-bedroom apartmentThe 21st floor private dining roomViews from The CastingsThe 21st floor private dining roomThe reception area at The CastingsThe reception area at The CastingsA residents’ lounge at The CastingsThe gym at The CastingsThe gym at The CastingsThe Working Hub
A residents’ lounge is fitted with a pool table and a variety of board games, and is decorated with beautiful furnishings, pink walls, and cosy rugs, leading out to an even bigger roof terrace that includes huge double-bed-sized swinging lounge chairs.
The pièce de résistance of The Castings is its 21st-floor rooftop terrace, which has unobstructed views right across Manchester.
Unlike the now-towering skyline of the southern edge of the city, The Castings stands in the exciting Piccadilly East neighbourhood and there’s nothing to block your view.
From one side you can see across the Etihad Stadium and all the way to the Peak District, while other apartments have views of landmarks like the Town Hall, Deansgate Square, the Corn Exchange and the canals snaking past down below.
Residents can book a stylish private dining room up here for entertaining loved ones, with space for up to 10 guests plus a lounge space.
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On the imminent launch, The Castings community manager, Dave Evans, comments: “We’re really excited to welcome new residents into The Castings.
The focus for us has been to create much more than just apartments; it’s an experiential way of living and we can’t wait to host our official launch party where the community can celebrate the neighbourhood’s newest addition.”
To celebrate the opening, The Castings is hosting a free launch event for the local community and residents on Friday 19 July from 5pm till late.
With music, food and drink provided by local vendors, the party will start in The Castings’ reception area and later on in the evening make its way up to the panoramic roof terrace on the 21st floor. You can reserve your free spot here.
Prices for the new build-to-rent scheme start from £1,180 per month for a studio apartment, £1,310 for a 1-bed apartment, £1,525 per month for a 2-bed and £2,165 for a 3-bed apartment.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Property
Greater Manchester could be getting a new town under ‘ambitious’ Government housebuilding programme
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester could be getting a new town under an ‘ambitious’ proposed Government housebuilding programme.
Manchester Victoria North is one of seven new towns that have been proposed.
Named for consideration as part of what the Government is referring to as the most ambitious housebuilding programme in more than half a century, the locations of seven new towns have been revealed this week, and also include other northern locations like Leeds South Bank, as well as places in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, and Greenwich.
The Government says that the next generation of new towns are to be ‘built for the future from the ground up’.
They will create well-connected new communities with homes, jobs, schools, green spaces, and suitable transport links planned from the start.
Each proposed location is expected to deliver at least 10,000 homes – with several delivering 40,000 or more in the decades to come.
Greater Manchester could be getting a new town / Credit: Manchester City Council
All seven of the proposed new towns are set to be designed for modern everyday life, the Government insists – with neighbourhoods that people can easily get around without a car, incorporating shared green spaces and ‘vibrant’ high streets.
As part of the Manchester Victoria North proposals announced this week, at least 15,000 homes regenerating the heart of Greater Manchester are to be built, with a new Metrolink stop connecting residents to jobs across the city.
“People want real change,” explained Housing Secretary, Steve Reed. “They want homes they can afford, local infrastructure that works, and good jobs in thriving communities.
“Our next generation of new towns marks a turning point in how we build for the future.
“From the ground up, we’re planning whole communities with homes, jobs, transport links, and green spaces designed together, so we can give families the security and opportunities they deserve.”
Alongside the new towns consultation, the Government has also confirmed today that the National Housing Bank will launch on 1 April, backed by up to £16 billion of financial capacity and aiming to deliver over 500,000 new homes.
The Government has also confirmed additional support worth up to £400 million over the next decade for ‘subsidised products’.
Featured Image – James Feaver (via Unsplash)
Property
Altrincham named one of the UK’s best places to live in 2026 in The Sunday Times’ annual ranking
Emily Sergeant
A popular Greater Manchester town has been named among the UK’s best places to live by the Sunday Times in its annual ranking.
That’s right… it’s that time of year, once again.
The Sunday Times is known for pulling together a list of what it considers to be the most sought-after places to live in the UK every year, and 2026’s ranking has officially been published today – with dozens of locations across the country making up the comprehensive guide, and six of those coveted locations being right here in the North West.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all locations on the list, and assessed factors such as schools, transport, culture, broadband speeds, access to green spaces, the health of the high streets, and much more to devise the always-talked-about annual ranking.
Macclesfield in Cheshire, Eden Valley in Cumbria, Lancaster in Lancashire, and Aigburth in Liverpool are just some of the North West areas named by the publication in the 2026 list.
Altrincham has been named one of the best places to live in the UK / Credit: The Manc Group
A spotlight has also been shone on two Greater Manchester towns, and one of two has even been given the regional North West title… but which are they?
Where has taken the top spot as the best place to live in the North West for 2026, and is therefore one of the best places to live in the whole of the country? Well, that honour has been given to none other than Greater Manchester’s very-own Altrincham.
The publication described the Trafford town as ‘classy, cool and effortlessly comfortable’.
“Altrincham is a top-notch town brimming with independent businesses and big brands, and now it’s flying even higher,” The Sunday Times said.
The fact that co-working has now arrived on the high street thanks to the conversion of the old Rackhams department store, and that the town’s cultural and creative ‘cachet’ is also on the rise, have been highlighted as reasons as to why Altrincham has been chosen as the North West’s winner, as well its newly-flourishing fitness scene.
Of course, the town has also been praised for its transport links into Manchester city centre and across the region, as well as it being a great place for families thanks to the excellent local schools on offer.
Didsbury was the other Greater Manchester town chosen to represent the best of the North West – with the Manchester suburb described as being ‘stylish, solid, safe, and, yes, a little bit smug in parts… but that’s okay’.
Daisy Jackson -
4th July 2024 
