Property

These are the cheapest flats for rent in Manchester – the catch is that you sleep next to your oven

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 21st July 2023

Manchester’s rental market is crazy, with rent prices still climbing ever-higher – but there are still some cheap flats to be found around the city centre.

According to Rightmove’s rental price data, the cost to rent a property has increased 11.6% across the north west from last year.

It means that the average rental price in Manchester is now a little over £1000 a month – ouch.

In fact, if you want to live in the city centre, you’ll struggle to find anything costing less than £800.

There are a few options left though, with one company advertising cheaper, more affordable flats from just £659 a month, right in the heart of Manchester.

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The properties listed with Manchester Apartments are geared towards students and professionals who are looking for a fairly high-spec apartment without paying the eye-watering prices you find elsewhere.

There is definitely a catch though. These pads might be modern and aesthetically pleasing, but they’re also on the compact side.

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As in, you will be sleeping in arm’s reach of your oven…

Manchester Apartments is advertising some of the city's cheapest flats right now. Credit; Rightmove
Manchester Apartments is advertising some of the city’s cheapest flats right now. Credit; Rightmove

But still, for those of us who hate the thought of shared accommodation – you know, fighting over who gets the middle shelf in the fridge, or whose turn it is to take the bins out – these seem pretty ideal.

They’re also priced along the same lines as shared flats in Manchester’s student halls (and anyone who remembers Oak House can vouch for a navy blue wall being a bit nicer than a mint green breeze block).

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There’s a range of studio flats up for rent in a few buildings in the city centre, so you could be calling Princess Street, Great Ancoats Street or Granby Row your new home.

Take this particularly good-looking studio, for example. Yes, you can fry and egg and make your bed while sitting in your dining room, but it looks like a pretty cosy den for £719 a month (and a damn sight cheaper than a similar home in London).

That one’s right by the canal in the heart of the Piccadilly and Ancoats area too, an area that was recently voted one of the coolest places to live by Time Out.

There’s also this Granby Row studio with massive windows at £797 a month, and this Princess Street pad where you might end up with beautiful views of the Kimpton Clocktower building.

You can browse them all on Rightmove here or Manchester Apartments here.

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Featured image: Rightmove / Manchester Apartments

Property

Huge new aparthotel planned for Manchester’s Gay Village

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Huge new aparthotel Joyce by The James planned for Manchester's Gay Village

Plans have been revealed to transform an underused building on the edge of the city’s iconic Gay Village into a 261-room aparthotel.

If it all goes ahead, Boulton House on Chorlton Street will turn into Joyce by The James, delivering serviced apartments to visitors to Manchester.

This exciting new chapter is planned for a 1970s office block in the city centre, which will be redeveloped and extended.

The building was acquired by The James, a family-run developer and operator, last July. They already operate an aparthotel across down close to The Printworks.

It will operate under their short-stay brand Joyce by The James, offering luxury short-term serviced apartments for stays anywhere between one night and 12 weeks.

Each apartment will ‘combine the comfort of home with the convenience of high-end hospitality’ with an opening date pencilled in for 2027.

Guests would have access to a 24-hour on-site management team, a social lounge, outdoor terrace, business lounge, gym and games room.

The plans also include ground-floor commercial space to activate the street, step-free access, and a zero-parking strategy to encourage sustainable travel.

Joyce by The James hopes to contribute to the Council’s ambition of being the most visited city region outside of London and a top 20 European destination by 2030.

A Manchester-based team including SimpsonHaugh, Deloitte and Font Comms are advising Joyce by The James, with ambitions to boost the vibrancy of the Chorlton Street, Major Street and Bloom Street intersection.

The existing site of the proposed Joyce by The James aparthotel in the Gay Village. Credit: The Manc Group
The existing site of the proposed Joyce by The James aparthotel in the Gay Village. Credit: The Manc Group

Aron Azouz, Co-Founder at The James, said: “Joyce by The James will give Boulton House a meaningful role in the life of the future neighbourhood.

“Our ambition is that through the creative and dynamic refurbishment of the building as it enters the end of its current life cycle, the Joyce remains as a long-lasting part of the fabric of Chorlton Street and the Gay Village neighbourhood and makes an improved contribution to the area’s energy, character and identity.”

Grant Sulkin, Co-Founder at The James added: “We understand the value of listening to the local community as part of the planning process.

“We want to hear from people who know and love this part of Manchester, their insight will be vital in helping us get this right and we are excited to introduce Joyce by The James to the public!”

The James are now inviting local residents, businesses and community groups to share their views on the plans, with public consultation open until Friday 16 May 2025.

Joyce’s team will be hosting a drop-in event on Thursday 8 May, 3-7pm at the Boulton House Foyer, 17-21 Chorlton Street, Manchester. There will also be an online Q&A on Tuesday 13 May from 6-7pm – head HERE for more.

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Featured image: Supplied

Property

You can live in a Greater Manchester manor house from the 1700s

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

There’s a manor house which dates back to the 1700s that’s just gone on the market in Greater Manchester.

Now, obviously, we know Manchester is the best place on Earth and, naturally, people have been wanting to live here since the 18th century (and even earlier).

Westerhill House in Ashton is a property that dates back to 1764, and now you could be the next lucky owner to live in this five-bedroom property, which really is a piece of living history.

The legacy of this property spans more than just this country house site, as the previous tenants – who inhabited the house until 1964 – actually provided the rivets for the Eiffel Tower on behalf of their company, Park Bridge Ironworks.

The grand entrance to this 1700's manor house in Ashton.
The grand entrance to this 1700’s manor house in Ashton.
The hamlet in which this Greater Manchester property resides.
The hamlet in which this Greater Manchester property resides.
Credit: On The Market

One particular room in this manor house features the work of a well-known Mancunian architect, Donald Reeve Buttress, who spent more than a decade at Westminster Abbey until his departure in 1999.

On the estate agent’s website, each room is described as being individually detailed with its specific role in the house, and if you think you don’t have enough space for all your stuff, think again.

This 1700s character manor house has a room for just about anything you could possibly think of, including a billiard room (posh word for pool) and a wine cellar – I know which room I’ll be accidentally getting myself locked in once a week…

This Ashton historical property spans three floors, with the downstairs being the smallest in size with only one room, while the ground floor boasts 10 and the first floor has eight designated rooms.

As you enter the living space, there is an entrance hall that leads to a bigger hall and a staircase; meanwhile, there is a breakout room immediately on the right side leading to a toilet and a dedicated boot room. Handy.

On your left-hand side as you step through the front door, there is another bigger breakout room which hosts the impressive billiard room and seating area, which is a considerably large space.

The conservatory designed by architect from Westminster Abbey.
The conservatory designed by architect from Westminster Abbey.
The main hall which leads to various rooms in this 1700s Ashton manor house.
The main hall which leads to various rooms in this 1700s Ashton manor house.
Credit: Supplied

Step through to the main hall and you’ll find doors leading to the dining room, kitchen space and a lounge which has an adjoining conservatory.

It’s this very conservatory that was designed by none other than Buttress himself, who worked at Westminster Abbey for 11 years as the ‘Surveyor of the Fabric’.

Any loyal Ashtonians will also be impressed with the stained glass window in the inner hallway, which also happens to contain a depiction of the ‘Black Knight of Ashton-Under-Lyne‘.

Moving upstairs, you find a wide landing which leads to all four bedrooms and three bathrooms, two of which are en-suites.

This 1700s manor house is currently listed for offers in the region of £750,000, and although it may be historic in age and interior, in terms of broadband, the property apparently has super-fast broadband.

The billiard room with adjoining seating area.
The billiard room with adjoining seating area.
Curved seating area overlooking the stunning garden space.
Curved seating area overlooking the stunning garden space.

Ever get bored of looking around this magnificent and interesting mansion’s four walls? This house is situated in a lovely hamlet located close to Daisy Nook Country Park.

Of course, we understand that a lot of us reading certainly can’t afford a property of this nature, but when the manor house is rooted in this much history, it would be rude not to have a snoop on the official site.

Oh, and if that wasn’t enough browsing for you, there’s a three-bed coach house up for sale in this same exact Ashton hamlet, also dating back to the 1700s. Cool, right?

Check it out HERE.

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Featured Image: Supplied via On The Market

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