The comprehensive guide, which includes 70 locations in total, is written by The Sunday Times reviewers, who take into account a wide range of factors, from schools, transportation and broadband to culture, green spaces and street health. This is the first year that Prestwich has entered the list. Last year, Altrincham was named the best place to live in the North West and was described as the market town of Greater Manchester where “the suburbs meet utopia” and one of the “best” destinations in Manchester. READ MORE: Manchester was named one of the 10 cheapest cities in the UK to live in during the cost of living crisis The Sunday Times once again favored Altrincham for the “magic” dining room and the market that turned from “Britain’s worst street” into one of the best destinations in the area. The judges also noted that some of the Altrincham schools, including the Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, are among the best in the Northwest. The tram also offers easy access to MediaCityUK, the city center with its picturesque parks and the Cheshire countryside nearby. The average house price in the area, according to Halifax, is 1 531,000, an increase of 10% from 2020 – showing an increase in demand during and after the pandemic. The Sunday Times’s Best Places to Live guide, now in its 10th year, also wants to celebrate improved towns, villages or town centers and community-driven locations – which is why Prestwich was probably chosen this year. Lyme Grove in Altrincham (Image: Manchester Evening News) The North Manchester suburb debuted on the Best Places to Live list, thanks to a rapidly improving list of bars and restaurants such as Osma, Keg, Cask and Bottle and more. Prestwich also hosts a fish and chip shop that was voted one of the best in the country. It was recently revealed that Prestwich will undergo a huge £ 100 million project to “transform” the city of Bury and give it “a new heart of the community”. The Longfield Center will be renovated in the coming years with a combination of new shops, residences, public space and a health center. Julian Dearlove, Chris Williams and Emma Bentham of Village Greens in Prestwich Heaton Park, home to the annual Parklife Music Festival, has also been hailed by critics as “probably the best in Manchester”, as well as tram routes that provide quick and easy access to the center. The judges also said that the volunteer arts festival shows that both culture and community thrive. The Sunday Times says Prestwich is now competing with more traditional hotspots such as Chorlton or Didsbury. The average house prices in the city are around 6 246,000, which have increased by 18% since 2020. Along with Altrincham and Prestwich, four other Northwest locations were selected in the guide. The top choice and a new addition to the list this year was Trawden. Heaton Park is a popular place for walkers, runners and dog owners (Image: Adam Vaughan) The judges said that this “unknown corner of Lancashire” has a stunning countryside and a great example for the rest of rural Britain. The village was also distinguished for its triumph in the market and the rescue of its shop, pub and library and their operation to the highest standards. The other three locations recorded without sequence were Christleton in Cheshire, Kirkby Lonsdale in Cumbria and West Kirby in Merseyside. Helen Davies, co-owner of the Times and Sunday Times, said: “The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list is necessarily subjective. Leave it to the statistics alone and you will never capture the spirit of a place. For this, you need to visit to keep in mind that the feeling “you have to be here”. Is the pub dog friendly, for example? Can you live without a car? How are schools and homes? Is it multicultural and multicultural and can it offer a good way of life to many different kinds of people? The Trawden Arms in Trawden Village, Lancashire (Image: James Maloney / Lancs Live) “Ten years ago, when we started the start list, the gravitational pull of London was strong, the WFH revolution had not yet reached our doorstep and the main roads were lined with chains. How times have changed – and how welcome that change is. “This year we have discovered new better places to live from revitalized city centers in the north, revitalized suburbs across the country, hidden villages in the southwest and a scottish island in Scotland. We hope there is something that suits everyone. “ See what the judges said about the other three northwest locations on the list: Christleton, Cheshire “This perfect spot offers an ambitious version of traditional village life just a few miles from the center of Chester. It is beautiful, much loved by the locals, has excellent schools right at the door and a shop, cafes and excellent pubs.” The average house price in the village of Cheshire is 9 489,000, an increase of 39% from 2020. Many love Kirkby Lonsdale for its beautiful buildings (Image: Colin Smith / Sun Hotel, Kirkby Lonsdale./CC BY-SA 2.0) Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria “A property in Best Places to Live: no other city offers better access to such a magical landscape and few others can match the attractive city center for independent shopping.” “School, rugby club and churches play an important role in the community and the Royal Barn fountain and the Milking Parlor from ice cream cone are the kind of business that would improve any city.” Kirkby Lonsdale has an average home price of 4 404,000, which has grown by just 3% since 2020. West Kirby, Merseyside “The view of the Dee estuary and the selection of excellent independent cafes and bars add a spark of magic to a city that is ideal for both active residents and families – with excellent schools, sports clubs and trains to Liverpool.” With a 14% increase from 2020, the average home price in Merseyside is 9 409,000. Subscribe to the free weekly real estate newsletter by clicking here Read more related articles Read more related articles
