Rochdale sees Greater Manchester’s biggest housing growth

A number of new homes have been built in Rochdale borough, including these in St Martin's View, Castleton

The borough of Rochdale has seen Greater Manchester’s biggest increase in new homes being built - with over 10 times the average regional growth.

A housing boom has hit Rochdale, with the borough seeing a larger increase in the number of homes being built in the last year than anywhere else in Greater Manchester.

Government housing figures show that 799 homes were built in the borough in 2017/18, up from 315 in 2016/17, an increase of almost 154 per cent.

The increase seen in Rochdale far outstripped any other Greater Manchester area, where the average was an increase of 13.5 per cent. The average across England was a 2 per cent rise.

Development at 67 sites across the borough has helped fuel the increase, including 42 semi and detached properties at the former Birch Hill hospital site in Smithy Bridge and 43 new homes at Cherwell Avenue in Heywood.

A further 38 new properties have been built at Broad Lane, Rochdale, with another 22 at Langley in Middleton.

Much of the development has taken place on long-term vacant brownfield sites, including the former Coral Mill site in Newhey and Nile Street in Rochdale.

The housing boost has also generated £1.7m in new homes bonus and additional council tax income for the borough.

The news comes as figures reveal that house prices in Rochdale are increasing at an average of more than seven per cent, the sixth highest house price growth in the UK.