A village of 500 new homes is being developed on the site of the old Manchester Racecourse – and buyers are being invited to take a tour.
The panoramic video journey whisks viewers through Castle Irwell – visualising how the two, three and four-bedroom apartments will appear upon completion.
Developer Salboy has already completed the sale of 59 properties in the space of five months.
The first phase of development will see 157 homes created overall – with prices starting from £209,950.
Castle Irwell is the latest Salboy developmentThe first phase of development will see 157 homes created at Castle Irwell – with prices starting from £209,950.
Salboy – a Manchester-based property developer owned by Simon Ismail and Betfred’s Fred Done – has more than 1,200 properties under construction with a further 2,000 in the design process.
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Ismail said that the new ‘flythrough’ video technology would give an “ultra-realistic vision” of how the company’s latest project would look and feel.”
“Interest in Castle Irwell has been phenomenal,” he stated.
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“We are already compiling a waiting list for the next phase of release, with two-bedroom homes benefiting from Help to Buy proving popular.
“The current plots have been purchased almost entirely by owner occupiers with more than 80 per cent sold to buyers from Salford or Greater Manchester.
“More than half our customers to date are first time buyers who are keen to get a foot on the ladder in the heart of their own city and want to and put down roots in a new residential neighbourhood which boasts an abundance of nature but with the city centre just a short stroll away.”
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The first new residents are tipped to move into Castle Irwell this summer
Salboy is expecting to release the next available plots for sale in mid-May with reservations starting in June. The first show home at Castle Irwell is planned for later in the summer.
Ismail added: “Castle Irwell really is the best of both worlds, offering a relaxed, laid-back contemporary new village of well designed, high quality housing surrounded by natural features and green space yet convenient for commuting and all the attractions of Manchester city centre and MediaCityUK.
“I would strongly advise people to register their interest as soon as possible for the best chance of securing their new home at Castle Irwell.”
Castle Irwell has been designed by Manchester-based Calderpeel Architects and is being constructed by DOMIS Construction.
The first new residents are tipped to move in this summer.
For more information on the village, visit the Castle Irwell website.
Property
Transformational plans set to be approved for ‘major’ new Manchester city centre park
Emily Sergeant
‘Transformational’ plans to regenerate an underused Manchester city centre site are set to be approved next week.
Following ‘overwhelming’ public support for proposals set out in a public consultation earlier this year – where more than 90% of respondents supported the key principles – Manchester City Council says its executive is expected approve an ambitious vision for the Water Street neighbourhood at a meeting next week (Weds 8 July).
The Water Street Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) is set to create a city centre district developed around a new urban park.
The SRF is described as being a ‘high-level blueprint’ for future investment that will guide development through the planning process.
The plans are comprised of a new landscape-led neighbourhood that combines homes – including 20% of them being ‘affordable’ – improved public spaces, enhanced walking and cycling connections, and ‘significant’ new green infrastructure centred around the River Medlock.
Sustainability was highlighted as an area of importance to local residents in the consultation, and to meet these demands, the plans include increased biodiversity, sustainable drainage features, and a largely car-free neighbourhood to support Manchester’s zero-carbon ambitions, as well as the new urban park being at the heart of it all.
The new neighbourhood will also offer plenty of new jobs, skills, and investment opportunities.
“The wider Water Street area has seen major regeneration in recent years with world-class investment at St John’s and Aviva Studios on its doorstep, alongside impressive residential developments,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and regeneration.
“This renewed regeneration framework will help guide investment to bring this area up to the same ambitious level with new housing, including affordable housing to create an inclusive new neighbourhood, complemented by a brand-new city centre urban park.”
Featured Image – Manchester City Council (Supplied)
Property
UK’s most popular commuter towns named and four are in Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The UK’s most popular commuter towns have been named, and four of them are here in Greater Manchester.
Where are the most popular commuter towns in the UK right now?
Well, new data collated based on the number of people enquiring about available properties on Rightmove has revealed the locations where buyer demand is highest, and with Manchester being one of the largest cities in the country, of course there’s some Greater Manchester towns on the list.
Rightmove says that choosing the best commuter town requires buyers to balance a number of factors – including property prices, travel times, and local lifestyle.
To narrow it down, the property platform has chosen to focus on commuter towns within a 45-minute rail journey to the target city, and with at least 20,000 people living there.
For Manchester, it’s Stockport that’s taken the title as the city’s most popular commuter town, as amazinly, it generated 70% more enquiries per listing than Manchester itself.
The UK’s most popular commuter towns have been named / Credit: James Feaver (via Unsplash) | Manchester City Council
Being just an eight-minute journey from Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport has an average property price of £308,299.
Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, the picturesque Stockport town of Marple takes second spot on the list, while the Tameside town of Stalybridge comes in third place, and Rochdale also features in the top five, alongside Warrington – which is just outside of our region’s borders, but is only a short 22-minute train journey into the city centre.
Transport options is obviously one of the most important factors in what makes a town a so-called ‘commuter town’.
Stockport benefits from around six fast trains per hour, while Stalybridge and Rochdale offer four per hour. Marple is less frequent at two per hour but still attracts strong interest, likely due to its lifestyle appeal and stunning setting on the edge of the Peak District.
Price growth has been strong across most of the Manchester commuter towns, with Stalybridge (+6.1%) and Rochdale (+5.8%) seeing notable increases year-on-year.
However, average prices for four out of the five commuter locations on the list were higher than the average Manchester property price (£261,891), suggesting that lifestyle factors were a stronger draw for Manchester’s surrounding towns.
The Manc -
7th June 2021 
