A house with one of the most beautiful locations in the country is currently on the market near Manchester – for a casual £1.3million.
The incredible five-bedroom home spans a whopping 4000 sq feet, and although it’s set in picturesque countryside it’s actually a bit of a commuter’s dream.
Just a short drive from the M62, placing it within a 40 minute drive of both Greater Manchester and Leeds, this huge manor house sits right beside a peaceful reservoir.
The Lake House has been built practically on the banks of Blackmoorfoot Reservoir, close to the pretty villages of Slaithwaite and Linthwaite.
The area is actually where some of Happy Valley is filmed and set, so the rolling hills and steep streets will be familiar to fans of the hit series.
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The property itself dates back toSome visitors to Britain’s smallest house have complained on TripAdvisor that it’s ‘too small’ the 19th century, but has been carefully extended and restored in more recent years.
The Lake House. Credit: Rightmove / Fine & Country HuddersfieldThe Lake House. Credit: Rightmove / Fine & Country Huddersfield
It means that it now has plenty of period charm and character (like ornate ceilings and carved fireplaces) but also modern comforts like underfloor heating and a state-of-the-art kitchen.
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It sprawls across four stories, as well as having a self-contained office in the grounds.
On the ground floor alone, there’s a huge, grand lounge; a cosy snug; a bathroom; a utility room; that enormous kitchen and dining room; a breakfast room; and a plant room.
The Lake House. Credit: Rightmove / Fine & Country HuddersfieldThe Lake House. Credit: Rightmove / Fine & Country HuddersfieldThe Lake House. Credit: Rightmove / Fine & Country HuddersfieldThe Lake House. Credit: Rightmove / Fine & Country Huddersfield
Then there are three bedrooms on the first floor, two more on the top floor, and a load of space in the cellar.
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The Lake House is currently marketed at £1.3m by Fine & Country Huddersfield, who say: “Set within privately enclosed landscaped gardens, a hugely characterful 19th century property which has been sympathetically extended and restored resulting in a magnificent five bedroom family home; the grounds in excess of 1.5 acres including south facing gardens and a separate home office / leisure suite.
“An awe inspiring property presenting a statement of both character and grandeur; offering welcoming spacious accommodation, as one would expect, presented to the highest of levels, retaining charm and period features throughout; all rooms commanding a delightful outlook over the gardens and surrounding greenbelt countryside.
“This Victorian Home enjoys the most idyllic of settings positioned on the edge of this much admired and highly sought after village, open countryside being immediately accessible whilst an abundance of local services includes highly regarded schools.
“Both the Pennines and the Holme Valley are on the doorstep and the M62 motorway is within a short drive ensuring convenient access to surrounding commercial centres.”
Featured image: Rightmove / Fine & Country Huddersfield
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.
Daisy Jackson -
28th January 2023 
