Work is now underway on dozens of new ‘affordable’ homes in Salford as part of multi-billion pound regeneration scheme.
The exciting new development called Willohaus – which was granted planning permission by Salford City Council last summer – forms part of the wider £2.5 billion Crescent Salford regeneration, and is a partnership between Salford City Council, the University of Salford, and ECF (formerly The English Cities Fund).
100 “high-quality, sustainable, and affordable” one and two-bedroomed homes are set to be built on a disused carpark on Peru Street in the heart of Salford as part of the scheme.
The apartments have been designed to provide a “comfortable environment” for residents, as Passivhaus buildings can apparently reduce energy bills by up to 90%, when compared to traditional housing stock.
This essentially means residents can reduce their fuel bills, all while cutting carbon footprints too.
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Work has begun on dozens of new ‘affordable’ homes in Salford / Credit: ECF North West
The Willohaus site is situated in the historic civic district of Salford, which has been undergoing extensive regeneration in recent years.
It was once a key industrial area for the city, and back in the 1800s, the site was home to a public bath house.
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The construction of Willohaus follows the similar development of Passivhaus-standard homes, Greenhaus, situated nearby – which completed last month, and is made up of 96 affordable new homes in total.
Joe Stockton, who is the Senior Development Manager for ECF, said Willohaus will be an “upscale” on Greenhaus.
The Willohaus site is situated in the historic civic district of Salford / Credit: ECF North West
He explained: “Following our success delivering low-energy, Passivhaus-standard homes at nearby Greenhaus, we are now looking to upscale what has previously been done on a relatively small-scale, and make sustainable homes accessible and affordable for a wider range of customers.
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“We’re looking forward to working with our partners to create a vibrant and well-connected neighbourhood at Crescent Salford, starting with our Willohaus community.”
Willohaus will also be the first Passivhaus-certified development to benefit from funding through the new ‘trailblazer’ devolution protocols, which have seen Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) given greater powers and funding to enable more “truly affordable net-zero homes” via the UK Government’s Affordable Homes Programme.
Tom Stannard, who is the CEO of Salford City Council, added: “It is such great news to see works starting on another eco-friendly development in our city.
“The incredible Passivhaus standards will see residents using much less energy and in turn paying much less for their energy bills.
“I’d like to thank all our partners for their hard work as we work to be a zero-carbon city by 2038.”
Featured Image – ECF North West (via Supplied)
Property
Greater Manchester could be getting a new town under ‘ambitious’ Government housebuilding programme
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester could be getting a new town under an ‘ambitious’ proposed Government housebuilding programme.
Manchester Victoria North is one of seven new towns that have been proposed.
Named for consideration as part of what the Government is referring to as the most ambitious housebuilding programme in more than half a century, the locations of seven new towns have been revealed this week, and also include other northern locations like Leeds South Bank, as well as places in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, and Greenwich.
The Government says that the next generation of new towns are to be ‘built for the future from the ground up’.
They will create well-connected new communities with homes, jobs, schools, green spaces, and suitable transport links planned from the start.
Each proposed location is expected to deliver at least 10,000 homes – with several delivering 40,000 or more in the decades to come.
Greater Manchester could be getting a new town / Credit: Manchester City Council
All seven of the proposed new towns are set to be designed for modern everyday life, the Government insists – with neighbourhoods that people can easily get around without a car, incorporating shared green spaces and ‘vibrant’ high streets.
As part of the Manchester Victoria North proposals announced this week, at least 15,000 homes regenerating the heart of Greater Manchester are to be built, with a new Metrolink stop connecting residents to jobs across the city.
“People want real change,” explained Housing Secretary, Steve Reed. “They want homes they can afford, local infrastructure that works, and good jobs in thriving communities.
“Our next generation of new towns marks a turning point in how we build for the future.
“From the ground up, we’re planning whole communities with homes, jobs, transport links, and green spaces designed together, so we can give families the security and opportunities they deserve.”
Alongside the new towns consultation, the Government has also confirmed today that the National Housing Bank will launch on 1 April, backed by up to £16 billion of financial capacity and aiming to deliver over 500,000 new homes.
The Government has also confirmed additional support worth up to £400 million over the next decade for ‘subsidised products’.
Featured Image – James Feaver (via Unsplash)
Property
Altrincham named one of the UK’s best places to live in 2026 in The Sunday Times’ annual ranking
Emily Sergeant
A popular Greater Manchester town has been named among the UK’s best places to live by the Sunday Times in its annual ranking.
That’s right… it’s that time of year, once again.
The Sunday Times is known for pulling together a list of what it considers to be the most sought-after places to live in the UK every year, and 2026’s ranking has officially been published today – with dozens of locations across the country making up the comprehensive guide, and six of those coveted locations being right here in the North West.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all locations on the list, and assessed factors such as schools, transport, culture, broadband speeds, access to green spaces, the health of the high streets, and much more to devise the always-talked-about annual ranking.
Macclesfield in Cheshire, Eden Valley in Cumbria, Lancaster in Lancashire, and Aigburth in Liverpool are just some of the North West areas named by the publication in the 2026 list.
Altrincham has been named one of the best places to live in the UK / Credit: The Manc Group
A spotlight has also been shone on two Greater Manchester towns, and one of two has even been given the regional North West title… but which are they?
Where has taken the top spot as the best place to live in the North West for 2026, and is therefore one of the best places to live in the whole of the country? Well, that honour has been given to none other than Greater Manchester’s very-own Altrincham.
The publication described the Trafford town as ‘classy, cool and effortlessly comfortable’.
“Altrincham is a top-notch town brimming with independent businesses and big brands, and now it’s flying even higher,” The Sunday Times said.
The fact that co-working has now arrived on the high street thanks to the conversion of the old Rackhams department store, and that the town’s cultural and creative ‘cachet’ is also on the rise, have been highlighted as reasons as to why Altrincham has been chosen as the North West’s winner, as well its newly-flourishing fitness scene.
Of course, the town has also been praised for its transport links into Manchester city centre and across the region, as well as it being a great place for families thanks to the excellent local schools on offer.
Didsbury was the other Greater Manchester town chosen to represent the best of the North West – with the Manchester suburb described as being ‘stylish, solid, safe, and, yes, a little bit smug in parts… but that’s okay’.
Emily Sergeant -
10th April 2024 
