Spotlight on Warrington

WHERE: Junction 8 and 9 off the M62 and junction 21 off the M6. Nineteen miles from both Manchester and Liverpool.

WHY: Historically this was the only safe place to cross the River Mersey which is why the Romans set up camp at Wilderspool around 100AD. The industrial revolution brought the manufacturing of wire, soap and tanning leather and the war years saw the huge expansion of the Burtonwood air base. But modern Warrington was born in 1968 when it was officially designated a `New Town'. Acres of farmland to the north of the town were commandeered to build housing estates and business parks. The arrival of Ikea and a giant M&S ensured that most people in the north west have probably been to one part of Warrington, at least once. More recently, a huge Tesco extra store opened near the town centre, along with a new stadium for Warrington Wolves Rugby League Club.

The pedestrianised town centre, with its much-maligned Skittles sculpture, has been left behind a bit, but major investment is imminent with the creation of a new shopping centre.

WHO: Warrington's selling point has always been its location and communications links. Mid-way between Manchester and Liverpool it has managed to survive competition from the big two. As the big companies moved in, so did the people, and there was plenty of new-build housing. A recent survey by Barclays has south Warrington as one of the fastest growing affluent areas in the country. In 75 per cent of Warrington households, at least one person commutes elsewhere. Lower cost housing in the town centre and areas like Orford means first timers can get on the ladder and investors have also been piling money in here. City living is also happening here with both Bellway and Countryside building apartments and townhouses.

TRANSPORT: Close to the M6, M62 and M56, but you have to choose carefully, with notorious bottlenecks like the Thelwall Viaduct often meaning major headaches. A new junction 8 off the M62 has been created to service the Omega site. Despite its maze of dual carriageways and roundabouts, queues to get across Warrington and onto the motorways are horrific, even outside rush-hour. A new bus interchange next to Warrington central station is aimed at trying to get commuters out of their cars.

SCHOOLS: Warrington runs its own education authority and has 12 high schools. Most are at or above average. Bridgewater High and St Gregory's RC get 66 per cent of pupils through five or more GCSEs A-C

AGENT'S VIEW: Martin Horner, a director of Edwards Grounds, said: "I have never known a town develop as quickly and as well as Warrington and the local council seems to share the investment around. The promise of jobs at Omega boosts confidence and I think they have got the mix of housing at Chapelford right.

"Everyone is waiting to see what happens with regional devolution and, if it goes ahead with Warrington as its base, the town will not look back.

"The market has gone noticeably quiet over the last couple of weeks and people are being more cautious. But first timers can still buy property here and there is renewed interest in living in the town centre with new apartments going up.

"They are spending on the town centre now, not just the surrounding areas, and it is starting to change, we've a bit to go yet though - we're about 25 years behind Manchester!"

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