Spotlight on Haslingden

WHERE: Twenty miles north of Manchester at the end of the M66 in the Rossendale Valley.

WHY: Value for money from the many terrace houses that are strung out along the valley sides. The mills they served are now largely gone but their sites are valuable. Permission has just been given for the huge Grane Mill site, with its landmark chimney, to be redeveloped for housing. There are larger stone-built mansions tucked away behind the main road and out on the Grane Road, which leads across bleakly beautiful moorland to Blackburn, there are converted barns and farmhouses with land. You can still get a big four- or five-bedroom family house near the centre for just over £200,000. The town centre with its distinctive clock has its own library, sports centre and still quaintly closes for half a day on Wednesdays. On the outskirts, a dry ski slope and a huge new home and garden centre bring in the crowds.

WHO: The increase in prices in nearby towns often viewed as more desirable has made Haslingden prime first-time buyer territory. The big attraction for families is not only cheaper housing but access to grammar school education.

TRANSPORT: Excellent road links but little else. The journey into Manchester by car takes about 40 minutes and Bury and Blackburn about half that. But the rail link is long gone and the nearest station is at Accrington.

SCHOOLS: In the catchment area for the respected Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School where 99 per cent of pupils get five or more GCSEs at A to C.

ESTATE AGENT'S VIEW: Theresa Delaney, of Hazeldene estate agents, said: "When the big new garden centre opened up at the bottom of the town a lot more people visited and we had people coming in wanting terraces for £20,000. They seemed to think that we were still in the Dark Ages. But terraces here have doubled from £35,000 to £70,000 in three years and most of the stock has been refurbished. Many are deceptive with wonderful views over the valley and there is big demand from first-time buyers. The new estates have been done very well and it has not been over-developed. We even have city-style apartments here; I didn't think Haslingden was quite ready for them but they sold straight away for £80,000 and are now fetching £120,000."

RESIDENT'S VIEW: Café owner Ralph Howells said: "I have lived here for 30 years. The town itself is okay and the people are good but the council has let us down.

"Everything seems to have been concentrated on Rawtenstall and Helmshore and Haslingden has been forgotten. At Christmas the decorations were a single string of lights at the crossroads! Twenty years ago this was the busiest town around and you could get anything here, the high street was marvellous. They have spent a lot of money on the market but it is only open during the week when people are at work. There are no proper shops really, it is just take-aways and banks. If you want to buy a pair of shoes you have to get on the bus. It is ridiculous. But I'm leaving soon - I'm going to live in Croatia."

View comments (1 comment 19/04/2007 at 19:54)