Social impact developer CAPITAL&CENTRIC – stars of BBC Two’s Manctopia – has agreed a deal with Bolton Council to redevelop the former market precinct in Farnworth town centre.
The plans will see the site transformed into a “vibrant, mixed-use community” based on the developer’s neighbourhood housing concept, and will include over 200 modern homes centred around a new public square for artisan markets, live events and more.
The plans also include a new flexible space for community uses and events, with a village hall feel, which could host vintage fairs, art galleries, and pop-up gin bars.
It will also see a linear park and spaces for café-bars, delis, a mini-cinema, gym and co-working.
Located on King Street in the heart of the town centre, the site is a short walk from the train station with easy access into Bolton and Manchester, and on the doorstep of the refurbished bus-station, making it an ideal location for commuters.
Speaking on the newly-reached deal, Tim Heatley – Co-Founder of CAPITAL&CENTRIC – said: “This is about rebooting and modernising the market town. By creating 200 new homes around the square, we’re bringing life, and spending power, back to the town centre, so it’ll have its own ecosystem.
“We’re looking to attract the region’s best artists, makers and indie operators to set up home here.
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“If you jump on a train you can be in Manchester in less than 20 minutes, so we see this rivalling the city centre with the same quality homes but affordable to more people from young professionals to downsizers.
“All surrounded by an incredible public square, plenty of trees and loads of places to hang out.”
Cllr Martyn Cox – Deputy Leader of Bolton Council – added: “It’s great to see such exciting development plans for Farnworth town centre. CAPITAL&CENTRIC have a fantastic track record of not just creating buildings but communities for people to live, work and socialise in, which is what is needed to transform Farnworth town centre and make it more vibrant, attractive for visitors and fit for the future.”
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Cllr Paul Sanders – Chair of the Farnworth Steering Group – said: “This is real progress and what we’ve been waiting for. The delivery of the key development proposals in the masterplan is vital for Farnworth and the plans proposed by CAPITAL&CENTRIC are welcomed.
“Our ambition is to rejuvenate the town centre and bring in new community facilities for our residents [and] we are looking forward to sharing the plans with Farnworthians, Kearsleyites and our partners.”
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CAPITAL&CENTRIC is planning to launch a public consultation on the plans – which are being designed by architects BDP – in the new year.
This is CAPITAL&CENTRIC’s first project in Bolton, following other town centre schemes in Stockport and Rochdale being announced earlier this year, and the developer is famed for its high quality and bold designs, with a focus on creating a positive social impact.
Farnworth reached the second phase of the UK government’s Future High Streets Fund – a multi-million pound pot of cash set up to make high streets fit for the future – after the council submitted a business case in June 2020, and is waiting to hear whether the £19m bid has been successful.
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The additional funds would help in the delivery of a number of key development projects identified in the Farnworth town centre masterplan.
Farnworth is also one of Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham’s Town Centre “challenge” areas.
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You can find more information via the CAPITAL&CENTRIC website here.
Property
Inside the regal Cheshire home for sale on one of Britain’s most expensive roads
Emily Sergeant
A stunning detached family home on one of Britain’s most expensive roads is currently on the market over in Cheshire.
In case you hadn’t heard, a recent report by The Times has revealed where you’ll find Britain’s top 20 most expensive roads for 2026, based off Rightmove data, and Congleton Road in Alderley Edge – slap bang in the middle of Cheshire’s iconic ‘Golden Triangle’ – has appeared in the top five most expensive outside of London.
So we snooped around to see what your money (… or your hypothetical money, at least) can get you on this street, and came across a regal residence currently for sale for a whopping £4.95 million.
This is Highclere – a six-bedroom detached family home occupying a private plot of over 1.3 acres and enjoying panoramic views across the adjoining Cheshire countryside.
This is Highclere – a stunning family home on one of Britain’s most expensive roads / Credit: Andrew J Nowell
Approached behind electric gates, and set back along a sweeping driveway, estate agents say Highclere has been ‘carefully and tastefully’ renovated by the current owners.
It now offers ‘spacious and versatile’ accommodation, and benefits from being within easy reach of Alderley Edge village centre and all the amenities it’s known and loved for.
Some of the stand-out features include an impressive reception hall with large sweeping staircase, open living kitchen with a large central island, large bedrooms, and a full leisure suite with a pool, jacuzzi, steam room, and showers.
There’s also a dedicated bar area, a games room, cinema room, and a gym.
Upstairs is where you’ll find what is described as the ‘unparallelled’ principal bedroom suite with two large dressing rooms, its own living area, en-suite bathroom, and a powder room, as well as four other large bedrooms.
Just as you’d expect, the outside of Highclere is as impressive as the inside.
The property is set within a private plot of over 1.3 acres enjoying panoramic views / Credit: Andrew J Nowell
Not only are there expansive terraced lawns with mature trees and shrubs and two large courtyards perfect for outdoor entertaining, but there is also a large driveway providing off-road parking for multiple vehicles and a detached double garage converted into annexe accomodation.
This property is currently on the market with Alderley Edge-based independent estate agents, Andrew J Nowell, for a Guide Price of £4.95 million, and if you fancy taking a closer look, then you can contact the agents to arrange a viewing.
Or you could just take the cheaper route instead and have a nosy at the Rightmove link here.
Featured Image – Andrew J Nowell
Property
Manchester rent is now ‘41% more expensive than five years ago, according to a recent study
Danny Jones
Yes, that’s right, as per some of the latest data on leased housing in central Manchester, it’s now approximately 41% more expensive to rent here than it was half a decade ago.
If you’ve lived in and around the city centre for long enough, chances are that you’ve already been feeling that difference, especially of late.
The ongoing cost-of-living crisis roughly began in 2021, following the economy and the world essentially opening back up after multiple lockdowns, so it’s little surprise that new research has shown affordability when it comes to renting has been on a slump ever since, too.
As well as the price of seemingly most things in everyday life going up post-pandemic, the average rental rate for even just a one-bedroom flat/apartment has jumped up significantly between 2020 and 2025.
Even some ‘available’ housing in town is being hampered by claddin (Credit: Valienne via WikiCommons)
That’s according to the numbers crunched by credit card experts, Zable, anyway.
Not only did their recent report cite the rent prices going up even before the cost of living crisis – essentially following the outset of the Covid-19 outbreak – but if their figures, the rate of inflation and the unwaveringly high demand for housing are anything to go by, this trajectory is likely to continue in 2026.
As of February this year, around one in three UK households is now a single-person occupancy, which already comes with its challenges (the Manchester City Council tax discount being a thin lifeline for countless), not to mention energy bills and the cost of groceries continuing on an upwards trend.
Put in the simplest and most reductive terms, it’s now almost £300 dearer for most people to live on their own than it was back in 2020, and besides Liverpool clocking in as second on the list of increasingly expensive cities to live (a 42.12% increase), Manchester came in third.
You can see the full table down below:
Rank
City
% increase – 2020-2025
Difference from 2020 to 2025 in £
Average rental cost for a 1 bed 2025
1
Newport
47.39%
£2,611
£8,121
2
Liverpool
42.12%
£2,290
£7,727
3
Manchester
41.00%
£3,364
£11,569
4
Edinburgh
40.28%
£4,620
£16,090
5
Leicester
39.93%
£2,391
£8,379
6
Wolverhampton
39.22%
£2,049
£7,273
7
Nottingham
39.07%
£2,400
£8,543
8
Glasgow
38.02%
£2,679
£9,725
9
Colchester
37.63%
£2,617
£9,572
10
Cardiff
37.06%
£2,828
Average rental cost for a 1-bed 2025
Another fear is that with lots of people finding it hard to manage living in other major cities like London, even those moving to Manchester are also having an impact on how available affordable housing is here.
That’s why schemes such as the new ‘social rent’ development over in Wythenshawe are so important to the current generations of renters, with the possibility of owning your own property in the future becoming increasingly difficult for so many.
It’s also worth noting that Manchester ranked fourth among the British locations where the cost of living is said to have increased the most over the past five years, with the average difference in annual spend growing by an estimated 22.84%.
Emily Sergeant -
14th December 2020 
