Two residential areas in Greater Manchester have been highlighted as UK ‘property hotspots’ based off house price data from 2022.
And they’re probably not the places you’d expect either.
There’s no doubt the property market in our region has been booming over the last decade or so, with average house prices seeming to rise year-on-year, and more and more areas becoming sought-after as the places to live time goes on – but now, Rightmove has released its list of the top UK property hotspots for this year based off 2022 data, and two rather surprising Greater Manchester areas have made their way onto it.
To create its list of hotspots, the UK’s biggest property website compared average house prices across the UK between 2022 and 2021 to out find the areas where prices they have risen the most, and the areas where prices are increasing more than the national average indicate that the area is a ‘hotspot’.
As well as soaring prices, Rightmove also considers a ‘property hotspot’ to be a place where there is a high demand for homes too.
Manchester‘s inner city area of Hulme has claimed second place on the list.
Rightmove has released a list of the top UK property hotspots for this year based off 2022 data / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Hulme is an ever-changing residential area that’s been the subject of redevelopment projects several times over the years, and has always been a favourite with students and young professionals thanks to it being home to Manchester Metropolitan University‘s (MMU) Birley campus, but Rightmove’s latest data shows it could be set to surge in popularity with a much wider audience this year.
According to the data, the average price of a home in Hulme jumped up by 26% from £188,454 in 2021 to £238,249 in 2022.
Elsewhere on the list, the Bolton residential area of Little Lever has been named another one of the UK’s property hotspots, claiming eighth place after average house prices soared by 20% from £169,709 in 2021 to £202,890 in 2022.
Grabbing first place as the UK’s top property hotspot was Eastwood in Nottinghamshire, according to Rightmove, with average asking prices in the area jumping by 29% compared with 2021.
Other property hotspots named in Rightmoves top 10 list based off last year’s data include Sandbanks in Dorset, Heathfield in East Sussex, Chelston in Devon, St. Peters in Kent, Cowes on the Isle Of Wight, Birchington in Kent, and Deeping St. James in Cambridgeshire.
Property prices in each of those areas had soared by more than 19% since 2021.
Two rather surprising Greater Manchester areas have made their way onto the list / Credit: Roger Kidd (via Geograph)
While the South East has the most areas featured in the top 10 property hotspots, the North East, however, saw the biggest regional annual growth of 10.3% in 2022, and as a whole, house prices across the UK were higher in 2022 than the year before.
Rightmove says average house prices were 5.6% higher across the UK at the end of 2022 than they were at the same time in 2021.
“Property prices have risen exceptionally over the last three years,” admitted Tim Bannister, property expert at Rightmove.
“If we compare with December 2019, just before the pandemic started, the average asking price of a home in Great Britain has risen by a staggering 20%, so to put that into context, asking prices rose just 3% in the previous three years, and we need to go all the way back to 2013 to see similar price growth.
House prices were 5.6% higher across the UK at the end of 2022 than they were in 2021 / Credit: Julie Twist Properties (via Rightmove)
“We expect average asking prices to drop by 2% next year now that the frenetic period for the market is over.
“It is likely that some sellers, particularly those in locations and sectors of the market that have benefitted the most from pandemic price growth, may be willing to give up some of their gains in this calmer market in order to negotiate a successful sale.”
Authorities prepare to ‘turn the tide’ on Greater Manchester’s housing crisis
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester is preparing to ‘turn the tide’ on its housing crisis by building new homes and protecting renters.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has set out its comprehensive plan to connect communities to new jobs and opportunities, drive up standards across the rental sector, and build new homes – with the latter helping to fulfil its Housing First ambition give everyone access to a ‘safe, secure, and affordable’ home by 2038.
This week has already seen a ‘renewed focus’ on driving up housing standards thanks to the naming of the first supporters of Greater Manchester’s bold new Good Landlord Charter.
New analysis also shows that GMCA’s Brownfield Housing Fund, which was set up in 2020, has already provided grants to deliver more than 15,000 homes, with an average of just over 45% being affordable housing.
But, there’s still a long way to go.
🏡 Today at #Housing2025, we marked a major milestone: Over 50% of rented homes in Greater Manchester are now covered by the Good Landlord Charter 🎉
— Greater Manchester Combined Authority (@greatermcr) June 26, 2025
GMCA says those recent successes will not stand alone, but rather support plans to deliver more social housing than is lost across the region.
Unlocking brownfield land is what authorities claim is the key to turning the tide on the housing crisis, as since its inception in 2020, as mentioned, Greater Manchester has invested a whopping £135.4 million from the Brownfield Housing Fund to redevelop underused brownfield land, which ultimately delivered thousands of new homes.
It’s anticipated that further funding allocations will come in the summer to supplement those already approved and in the works.
GMCA is also using the power of Mayoral Development Corporations (MDC) – which are statutory bodies set up by the Mayor Andy Burnham, designed to speed up development and attract investment within a specific area – to unlock regeneration opportunities, as these ‘pioneering’ tools bring together local partners and drive forward the authority’s ambitions to build new homes, bring jobs and investment, and support economic growth.
Authorities are preparing to ‘turn the tide’ on Greater Manchester’s housing crisis / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
Some of these MDCs currently include Old Trafford (part of the proposed Western Gateway Mayoral Development Zone), the expanded Stockport MDC, and the Northern Gateway MDC (part of Atom Valley).
Together, these three alone are expected to deliver 27,250 homes over the next 15 years to help address the housing crisis.
“If we are serious about securing the long-term success of Greater Manchester, we need to free ourselves from the grip of the housing crisis,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham.
“Because of the decisions we’ve taken, Greater Manchester is now building more affordable homes than at any point since the turn of the millennium. We need to keep building on that momentum until we reach a tipping point where we build more social homes than we lose.
“We’re determined to ensure that every person in Greater Manchester has access to the safe and secure home they need in order to thrive.”
Featured Image – James Feaver (via Unsplash)
Property
Petition launched to rebuild Hotspur Press in its ‘original form’ following devastating fire
Emily Sergeant
A petition has been launched to rebuild the Hotspur Press building in its ‘original form’ following the devastating fire last week.
In case you missed it, one of Manchester’s most historic landmarks has been left a shell of its former self after a huge fire erupted at the now-derelict Hotspur Press, which is on Cambridge Street beside Oxford Road train station, last Monday (23 June), destroying the iconic building that stood standing for more than 200 years.
It was subsequently declared a ‘major incident’ by authorities.
Thick black smoke clouds could be seen for miles over the city centre from around 4:30pm onwards and into the evening, as fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze.
BREAKING 🚨 Huge fire in Manchester city centre right now – historic Hotspur Press is ablaze with major disruption to trains out of Oxford Road #manchester#mcrpic.twitter.com/SnA52oiqxm
At the height of the blaze, two aerial units and more than 100 firefighters were working at the scene in warm and humid conditions.
But for the past couple of years now, before the building went up in flames, Hotspur Press was at the centre of redevelopment controversy, where planning permission was being sought to transform the building into high-rise student accommodation – and it’s these proposals that prompted the petition calling for an authentic rebuild to be set up.
That and the fact that it was announced towards the end of last week that Hotspur Press was to be part-demolished.
A petition has been launched to rebuild Hotspur Press in its ‘original form’ following the devastating fire / Credit: The Manc Group | Jonathan Boswell (Submitted)
Already racking up more than 400 signatures and counting, the petition calls for the historic building to be restored ‘faithfully and fully’.
“The recent fire has robbed Manchester of one of its most iconic and historic buildings, a cornerstone of the city’s skyline and industrial heritage,” the petition reads. “Hotspur Press was not just bricks and mortar, it was a living reminder of the city’s printing legacy, a symbol of Manchester’s character and soul.
“What we don’t need is another anonymous block of luxury flats that serve investors over residents.
“We are tired of seeing our history erased for profit. We demand that what is rebuilt reflects the identity, memory, and voice of the people who actually live here.”
The petition concluded: “Buildings like Hotspur Press carry the stories of the people who built this city – and they deserve more than neglect, fire, or demolition. Let this be the turning point. Rebuild Hotspur Press, and set a precedent for putting people, history, and place before profit.”
If you’re in support, you can find out more and sign the petition here.
Emily Sergeant -
6th January 2023 
