Spotlight on Leigh

WHERE: To the north west of Manchester, ten miles from Wigan.

WHY: A town built on coal mining, it suffered cruelly when the industry went into decline and all the pits closed. For years the acres of industrial land remained empty until the big builders realised the potential of these brownfield sites and moved in. In 1994 there were no fewer than 15 different housing developments under way and it is still going on. But the traditional terraced streets that served the mining industry still predominate.

WHO: There are still a couple of big employers in town but a large number of people who live in Leigh commute to work along the A580, east into Manchester or west to Liverpool. First time buyers are attracted by the low cost of terraced housing and while five years ago 85% of buyers were local greater numbers are moving in from other nearby areas led by lower prices.

SCHOOLS: Leigh falls within Wigan education authority which ranks fourth in Greater Manchester for GCSE results.

TRANSPORT: Smack between the M6 and the M61 with no speedy access to either, the main route in and out is the A580. The nearest train station is at Atherton with services into Manchester.

AGENTS’ VIEW: “The boom has seen some property prices at the lower end of the market double in Leigh in the last 12 months. New developments were selling at £55- to £60,000, but now they are going for £100,000,” said Simon Cooke of Cooke and Co.
“First timers who leap-frogged the terraced houses to buy new-build are now looking at them again because they have only risen £10- to £15,000, which in percentage terms is a lot but still affordable. And the boom continues. This month I have sold 30 properties and put 30 new ones on the market.”
Tony Brock from Red Rose Estates said: “People in Leigh are sensible with their money, many own their houses and the phenomenon at the latter end of the year was the number of people downsizing and also buying a place abroad. They wanted to take the profit out of the house they own and go and enjoy the sun. Selling for £150,000 they could buy a small house here and a lovely villa on one of the costas.”

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