Nick Jackson visits part of Greater Manchester that’s on the up and finds optimism and some worries.
Edgewater View is one of Stretford’s new des res locations
Stretford is perceived to be among the less affluent areas of Trafford, but thanks to the ongoing £50m redevelopment of its town centre and its convenient location between Urmston and Chorlton, even here property prices are on the up.
It’s close enough to Manchester to walk or cycle easily into the city centre and there’s the added bonus of a Metrolink stop right on the doorstep.
According to Rightmove, the average house price in Stretford is £295,538. However, semi-detached properties are selling for a mean price of £338,155, and terraced houses are going for £284,496.
Attia Iqbal, 46, runs a care agency and not too long ago sold her terraced house for £248,000 to relocate to Chorlton.
“They redeveloped Chorlton a while ago and made it a highly desirable place to live and socialise,” she said. “The council appear to be doing that here, which seems to be how to do.
“The effect of that is that more people want to live in Stretford and be part of it, which will push property prices up.”
Attia Iqbal with her eight-year-old daughter Fatema
It’s not just existing housing that’s in demand. Anyone interested in a waterside des res should check out the nearly-complete Edgewater View apartment block on the banks of the Bridgewater Canal.
Meanwhile, the regeneration of the town centre will yield 800 new homes alongside the rebirth of King Street as an open-air high street similar to how it was decades ago, but with more independent shops, bars and restaurants.
Alan Smith, 60, is a computer programmer currently between jobs. He also lives in Chorlton, but enjoys cycling up the road into Stretford.
He said: “I used to work in the offices in the Arndale when I started work. The great thing about Stretford is you get a full spectrum of properties. There are some very desirable high-end homes and there are some that are more affordable.
Alan Smith
“You can buy yourself a stunning property here for a lot less than in some of the more so-called fashionable areas of Manchester. You can buy a nice big house in Stretford.”
Georgie Grzesiak, who runs the Square cafe in Stretford Mall, said: “Me and my husband paid £55,000 for our Stretford house 24 years ago. It’s probably worth about £400,000 now.
Georgie Grzesiak
“We needed the space because we had four children. It’s a good place to live because it’s in the middle of everywhere. We’re in between Chorlton and Urmston and you can easily get into Manchester. So from a geographical location point of view, we’re ideally placed.”
Margaret Kay, 79, thinks the revamp of the town centre helps. “I came here 14 years ago from Suffolk to be nearer my grandchildren. I think the revamp of the town centre will probably push property prices up. It’s the sort of area people move into with their families.
But the transport links are very good.”
One woman, who did not wish to be named, said: “Everything is over-priced, including property. I live in a housing association property and I haven’t been able to afford to buy my own property. The cost of living is crippling, and cost of housing is no different. I feel sorry for the young people trying to get onto the property ladder.”
The wife of another couple, who did not wish to be named, said: “We don’t want Stretford to become like Chorlton and Didsbury. We don’t want local people being priced out of the town. That would be a shame, now they’re doing all this work on the town centre.”