A family home overlooking its own lake is currently on the market in Greater Manchester, and we can probably all agree it’s a real stunner.
The only thing is, you’ll just need the small matter of £1.6 million before you can call it yours.
It goes without saying that the vast majority of people reading this article won’t have £1.6 million just sitting in their bank account right now, and that properties of this stature are likely not the kind we’ll get to call home, so the next best thing we can do is just snoop around on good old Rightmove and have a nosey at all the jaw-dropping pictures instead.
Like us, if you’ve got no shame in admitting that one of your favourite internet pastimes is looking up houses you can’t afford in places you’ll probably never live, then let us introduce you to this gem over in Bolton.
We’re talking a beautifully-modern lake house that estate agents have called “truly unique” and “striking”, kind of a ‘gem’.
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This is The Lake House.
The Lake House is currently on the market in an unassuming Greater Manchester town / Credit: Newton & Co
Described as being one of the Greater Manchester town’s “best kept secrets”, this four-bedroom detached residence is located in the suburb of Lostock – which is known for being one of the borough’s most affluent and sought-after neighbourhoods that’s conveniently close to a wide range of amenities, excellent local schools, and transport links across the region and beyond – and it has so much to offer prospective buyers.
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Hidden in plain sight, but overlooking a Victorian formal pond of lake-size proportions, the property sits behind private gates amid its own expansive grounds at the end of what, you’d have to say, is a pretty run-of-the-mill residential street.
But this is far from being a run-of-the-mill house.
The four-bedroom detached family home is “truly unique” and packed with impressive features throughout / Credit: Newton & Co
The Lake House was actually built in 2010 in the garden of a traditional 1870s home, and back in the day, it was formerly owned by a local inventor who built a model railway in the gardens for local children to ride on.
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Estate agents say the property is so “unique”, in fact, that the current owners have even been approached by filmmakers in their time, who were eager to capture the location on the big screen.
As well as boasting several light and spacious reception rooms, a bespoke kitchen kitted-out with a range of modern fixtures, appliances, and a stunning AGA, four large bedrooms, and both family bathrooms and en-suites, the property also has countless other impressive hand-crafted features to its name behind the grand front doors.
Just a couple of these features include timber spiral staircases, some snazzy modern lighting fixtures throughout, a truly jaw-dropping coved glass ceiling feature, and a master bedroom with its own luxury dressing room.
It’ll set you back a whopping £1.6 million to call it yours / Credit: Newton & Co
The star of the show, though, has to be the elevated terrace that wraps around three sides of the property, making it the perfect place to relax all year round.
And, of course, the outside of the property is just as impressive as the inside… in fact, you could argue even more impressive, as the formal surrounding gardens not only include the lake and all its little quirks, like a range of different bridges, boating houses, and a clocktower, but they’ve also been maintained to the highest of standards, making them a massive credit to the current owners.
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The property also comes with a large double garage in its grounds – which houses its own workshop, a large office, and a bathroom – and there’s also the potential to create a separate annexe too.
The Lake House is currently on the market with Bolton-based independent estate agents, Newton & Co, for a whopping £1.6 million, and if you fancy taking a closer look, then you can contact the property company to arrange a viewing.
Or you could just take the cheaper route instead and have a nosey at the Rightmove link here.
Featured Image – Newton & Co
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.
Emily Sergeant -
19th June 2024 
