Plans to build a community of new sustainable homes overlooking Greater Manchester’s historic canals have been submitted this week.
‘Manchester Waters‘ is the newest project from waterside regeneration specialists, Peel Waters.
Located between The Bridgewater Canal and The Manchester Ship Canal, the proposed one, two, and three-bedroom build-to-rent apartments form part of the company’s collection of “vibrant and innovative” waterfront developments all across the UK, and will uniquely offer every future resident a stunning home with a waterfront view.
Split across two buildings that overlook both historic canals, developers say health, wellness, access to nature, and spaces to socialise in are all at the forefront of the proposals.
A communal rooftop terrace will provide exceptional views onto the Manchester Ship Canal, and a “welcoming” residents’ courtyard garden will offer extra outdoor space to relax in, while a dedicated residents-only gym and on-site yoga studio is set to be just one of many amenities.
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Plans have been submitted for 159 new homes overlooking Manchester’s historic canals / Credit: Peel L&P
Sustainability is said to be “at the heart” of the design of the two residential buildings.
As well as adopting a fabric-first approach with the aim of reducing carbon emissions, heat pumps and solar panels will be installed to generate energy on site, and will also be complemented by a heat recovery system to make the buildings “highly efficient”.
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Active travel options will be encouraged at the development as it will have secure on-site cycle parking hubs, and a ‘car club’ with dedicated EV charging points in each space.
James Whittaker, who is the Executive Director for Peel Waters, has called the submission of plans for the new Manchester development an “exciting step”.
Sustainability is said to be “at the heart” of the proposed residential development / Credit: Peel L&P
“Waterside living in the UK comes with many benefits that enhance quality of life and wellness,” he explained, “and our proposed homes will celebrate their waterfront location as well as delivering much needed new, sustainable, quality housing in the area in addition to providing the next section of new improved pedestrian and cycle links between Manchester and MediaCity.
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“Alongside creating new homes, the proposals represent a significant investment into the local area, which will create new jobs, apprenticeships and local employment opportunities throughout the construction stage.”
The 159 proposed homes will form part of a wider Manchester Waters masterplan to regenerate the Brownfield site – which has been largely vacant for more than two decades – and developers say it will bring “much-needed quality homes” to the area.
As part of the proposals, Peel will be making a contribution equivalent to 20% affordable housing within Trafford, and a further contribution will be made towards improving green spaces in the local area too.
Featured Image – Peel L&P
Property
Two towns around an hour away from Manchester named ‘most affordable’ places to buy your first home
Emily Sergeant
Two towns that are around an hour away from Manchester have been named among the ‘most affordable’ places to buy your first home.
It’s all according to the latest analysis by consumer choice company Which?, and Lloyds bank.
Getting onto the property ladder remains a struggle for many first time buyers, especially following increases to mortgage rates since the start of spring – but where you buy can make a huge difference, according to Which?, and now new research from Lloyds has revealed the cheapest areas to buy your first home.
Some of the locations on the list are even averaging less than half the price of homes in London, proving the North West is where you want to be to get your foot on the property ladder.
According to research from Lloyds Bank, the most affordable place for first time buyers in the UK is East Ayrshire in Scotland.
But when it comes to the North West, Blackpool is not only the most affordable area in region – ranking at number three on the list – but it’s also the cheapest in the whole of England too, beating Kingston upon Hull by just a few hundred pounds.
Two towns around an hour away from Manchester have been named among the ‘most affordable’ places to buy your first home / Credit: Benjamin Elliott | Maria Ziegler (via Unsplash)
The average first time buyer price in Blackpool is £150,780, according to the research.
Following Blackpool, ranking at sixth place on the list, is Hyndburn in Lancashire – which is actually a local Government district with borough status, that encompasses towns like Accrington and Great Harwood – with an average first time buyer price of £155,911.
Along with the most affordable areas for first time buyers, Lloyds has also calculated the areas with the youngest first time buyers too – and the North West also takes that title,
In the UK as a whole, the average age of a first time buyer is now 32, however buyers in some parts of the country are getting onto the property ladder much earlier than others, particularly in more affordable areas outside major cities.
The area with the youngest first time buyers is the Ribble Valley, according to Lloyds.
The largest town in this Lancashire district is Clitheroe, on the edge of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, and in less than 40 minutes by car, you can get to Preston, Blackburn, and Burnley, so it’s a pretty well-connected place for also being so affordable.
Featured Image – Stuart Wilding (Geograph)
Property
Four North West towns named among Britain’s top 10 seaside ‘property hotspots’ for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Four North West towns have been named among Britain’s top 10 ‘property hotspots’ by the sea for 2026.
You may already be familiar that, every year, leading property listing website Rightmove takes a look at all the cities, towns, and residential areas across the UK where house prices saw a significant hike on average last year, and puts together a top 10 list.
The ‘hotspot’ table is made up of a variety of locations where prices rose the most, when compared to the end of the year prior.
But now, they’ve done a special seaside version too.
Of course, “Manchester‘s got everything except a beach” so it won’t come as a surprise that no Greater Manchester towns are featured on this list, but that isn’t the case for the rest of the North West though, as Merseyside and Cumbria are well represented.
In fact, it’s actually the North West that’s taken the top spot, as Bootle in Merseyside has been named Britain’s top seaside house price hotspot, with asking prices having risen 11% in the past year alone, and that’s even with an average house price still way below the national average at £141,680.
Four North West towns have been named among Britain’s top 10 seaside ‘property hotspots’ for 2026 / Credit: James Feaver | Gabe Fender (via Unsplash)
Second place can be found just 10 minutes further up the coast in the town of Crosby, where the average asking prices are up 9% compared to last year, reaching £330,900.
Wallasey comes in at sixth place on the list, with house prices rising 7% to £200,753 on average, while Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria ranks at number nine with house prices increasing 6% to an average of £185,169.
Rightmove says the data shows that coastal living remains ‘relatively accessible’ in several areas, with nine of the top 10 fastest growing seaside locations still priced below the national average, and across more than 100 coastal areas analysed, more than 80% also have an average asking price below the national average (£378,304).
“The fastest-growing seaside markets this year show that demand for coastal homes in many areas remains resilient, even as overall price growth across the UK stays more modest,” commented Colleen Babcock, who is Rightmove’s property expert.
“While some locations are seeing strong price increases, there are still many areas where living by the sea is more affordable, giving buyers a wider range of options depending on their budget.”
Emily Sergeant -
27th October 2023 
