Leading UK property website Rightmove has released new data showing that the interest in searches for overseas property has surged during lockdown.
If you’ve found yourself seriously toying with the prospect of buying a holiday home, contemplating a relocation, or dreaming of a trip abroad after your trip was cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it turns out that you’re very much not alone.
Research by Rightmove data analysts shows that searches for overseas property in May reached their highest point for the year and were up 33% compared to this time last year.
This followed the trend from April where overseas searches increased by 50% from March.
After an initial dip when lockdown first commenced, the countries seeing the biggest uplift in searches are Spain, France and Portugal.
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Searches for property in Spain were up 34% and in particular, the biggest surge was seen in searches for property on the island of Ibiza which was up a whopping 174% compared to last May.
It’s thought that this is thanks to the new Netflix series White Lines.
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White Lines is a 10-part Spanish/British thriller series which aired on Netflix last month.
The show follows a young woman visiting Ibiza to learn the truth about what happened to her brother – a Manchester DJ who disappeared on the Balearic Islands 20 years prior – and it received positive reviews from both critics and fans alike.
Kieran Byrne, owner of international estate agency, HomeEspaña in Spain, said: “After a significant dip in activity and enquiries in March and early April, when lockdown measures were first introduced in Spain and the UK, we’ve witnessed a gradual resurgence of interest towards the end of April, and this gathered pace throughout May.”
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“Of course, we’ve spoken to clients who are putting their plans on hold, waiting to see what life will be like post-coronavirus, which is totally understandable, but we’ve also spoken to new customers who had never previously thought about buying a property in Spain.”
“Being confined has made them reconsider their lives in cities and towns, as has the thought of returning to being crammed onto buses and trains, and they’ve concluded it would be preferable to be somewhere with more of an outdoor lifestyle, better weather, access to swimming pools and beaches.”
“Of course, we still don’t know how any of this translates into genuine interest or transactions”.
“We’re still not fully out of lockdown here in Spain – international flights haven’t resumed and we’re still in a period of uncertainty – but it does seem like there is a lot of new interest in people relocating or having a second home here”.
For more information on overseas property, visit the Rightmove website here.
Property
Plans submitted for ‘substantial’ refurbishment of historic Sir Ralph Abercromby pub
Daisy Jackson
Plans have been submitted for an extensive refurb of the legendary Sir Ralph Abercromby pub in the heart of Manchester.
Gary Neville’s Relentless Developments has applied to restore the pub in a way that ‘honours the building’s heritage’.
It will be integrated into the wider £400m St Michael’s development, which now towers above the 19th century bar.
The proposals include a substantial refurbishment of window frames, brickwork, and external doors (or replacements where necessary), as well as a glassed walkway that will link the pub with the 43-storey tower next door.
That huge new tower will soon be home to the W Hotel and W Residences, with other names within the development including Chotto Matte, Grind, and Circolo Poppolare.
The Bootle Street boozer has long-been one of Manchester’s most iconic pubs, and was the subject of a local petition during the early stages of the St Michael’s development planning.
After locals rallied around to save the pub, the Sir Ralph Abercromby was factored into the Relentless Developments plans.
And now it’s time for its new chapter, with works commencing in the coming months, subject to planning approval.
It’s hoped the work on the pub will complete by summer 2027.
Gary Neville, Director at Relentless Developments, commented: “The Sir Ralph Abercromby is one of Manchester’s most treasured pubs and an important part of the city’s social fabric.
“A big part of our ambition for St Michael’s has been to celebrate Manchester’s heritage and restoring this iconic building is central to that vision.
“Our proposals carefully retain and enhance the features that give the pub its character while sensitively integrating it into the wider St Michael’s scheme.
“We’re proud the pub has been able to remain open throughout construction and this next phase will secure its future for generations to come – ensuring it continues to serve the community while sitting confidently alongside a truly world-class development.”
Nearly 300 new ‘social rent’ homes given go-ahead as part of £500m Wythenshawe regeneration
Emily Sergeant
Nearly 300 new homes are set to be built in Wythenshawe as part of a wider £500 million regeneration scheme.
In case you didn’t know, Placemaker Muse and Wythenshawe Community Housing Group submitted three separate planning applications for 422 new affordable homes back in December 2025, following a public consultation with locals.
Now, works on two of the three new communities can begin, with the third expected to get the green light in the coming weeks.
Brotherton House – which is a former office building – will be transformed into 216 new homes, including an extra care apartment building with 109 homes for people in later life and those living with dementia, while C2 The Birtles, also currently retail and office space, is situated next to the former market square and will be replaced with 81 one and two-bedroom apartments.
Alpha House, which is currently awaiting a planning decision, has now been demolished and will be rebuilt to provide 125 one and two-bedroom apartments – including 16 wheelchair accessible homes.
According to developers, all the homes will be ‘affordable, high-quality, and energy-efficient’, with additional outdoor and communal spaces to promote health and wellbeing.
The approval given to build these new homes forms part of the wider ‘ambitious’ plan to transform Wythenshawe over the next decade.
The wider masterplan for Wythenshawe will see up to 2,000 new homes created over the next 10 to 15 years, which will complement the wider investment currently underway in Civic – supported by £20 million of Government funding, and £11.9 million from Manchester City Council.
Nearly 300 new homes have been given the go-ahead as part of a £500m Wythenshawe regeneration scheme / Credit: Muse (Supplied)
New community facilities in the town include the Culture Hub – which is now underway – the Food Hall, currently awaiting a planning decision, new workspaces, and improvements to the outdoor spaces in Civic, all designed to create a ‘greener and more welcoming’ town centre.
“For us, this is about delivering the truly affordable homes local people have told us they need,” explained Andrea Lowman, who is the Executive Director of Development at Wythenshawe Community Housing Group.
“Every one of these homes will be for social rent, giving more families, older residents and people with additional needs the opportunity to live well in the heart of Wythenshawe.
“As the local social housing provider, we are focused not just on building new homes but on creating sustainable communities and making sure this investment strengthens the town centre for existing and future residents alike.”
Emily Sergeant -
10th June 2020 
