Spotlight on Droylsden

WHERE: Five miles east of Manchester on the Ashton New Road. Drive to the City of Manchester Stadium and keep going.

WHY: You have to follow the planning applications if you want to locate the next `hot-spot'. And Droylsden, never previously described as the most desirable place to live, has seen its property temperature soar over the last 12 months.

The completion of the M60 link and its proximity to junction 23 has finally opened it up to the rest of the world but there is much more to come. The Metrolink extension runs right down its main street and ambitious plans to create a marina in the heart of the town, backed by new offices, waterside apartments and a hotel were approved this week. Work is already under way on a new multiplex cinema.

Right in the centre of town Tesco has already opened on a new retail park and other big name multiples are due in but the parade of more local shops also seems to be thriving.

Many houses near the Metrolink route and the marina site have been compulsory purchased which seems to have driven up prices across the town and attracted interest from outside investors. If you are not a fan of co-ed then this may be the place because all four secondary schools are single sex.

TRANSPORT: Junction 23 of the M60 has transformed road links, suddenly making south Manchester and the airport much closer. Fifteen minutes into the centre of Manchester down a busy route and until the arrival of the tram the nearest station is Fairfield.

AGENT'S VIEW: "Historically the closer you got to Manchester the cheaper the houses became," said Diane Dawson of agents Sleigh & Son. "But since the Commonwealth Games and the massive amounts of money being spent in Beswick and Clayton people are looking at areas differently. Houses in Clayton are now selling within 48 hours.

The M60 has made a huge difference to Droylsden, suddenly opening up whole new areas and there is an awful lot happening. It is going to have very good communications and lots of facilities. Like everywhere, prices here have risen sharply in the last two years. A two-up, two down now starts at £60,000 and the market is still very buoyant. "

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