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The Sunday Times Reveals The Best Places To Live In The Northwest

Trawden, Lancashire

Trawden, Lancashire, has been named the Best Place to Live in the Northwest of England.

It is top of a list of eight locations in the region chosen by
The Sunday Times in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.

The comprehensive guide, which includes 70 locations, is released online today and an edited version will be available in the paper on Sunday.

The Sunday Times’s expert judges behind the guide assess a wide range of factors, from schools, transport and broadband to culture, green spaces and the health of the high street.

They look to celebrate improving towns, villages or city centres, attractive, well-designed homes and locations bursting with community spirit – which the pandemic has shown to be the most vital quality of all.

An average house price for each location has been supplied by Halifax, the sponsor of the guide, and up-to-date information on broadband speeds has been provided by Thinkbroadband.com, the UK’s leading independent guide to broadband.

Please note: apart from the regional winner, the other locations are not ranked, but listed in alphabetical order.

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2022: Northwest of England

Winner: Trawden, Lancashire
Altrincham, Cheshire
Christleton, Cheshire
Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria
Prestwich, Greater Manchester
West Kirby, Merseyside

Helen Davies, The Times and Sunday Times Property Editor said:
“The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list is necessarily subjective. Leave it just to statistics and you will never capture the spirit of a place. For that, you need to visit to take into account that ‘you have to be here’ feeling. Is the pub dog-friendly, for example? Can you live car-free? What are the schools and houses like? Is it multicultural and multigenerational, and can it offer a good way of life to lots of different sorts of people?

“Ten years ago, when we launched the inaugural list, London’s gravitational pull was strong, the WFH revolution had not yet reached our doorstep and high streets were stacked with chains. How times have changed — and how welcome that change is.

“This year we have discovered new best places to live from resurgent city centres in the North, rejuvenated suburbs across the country, hidden villages in the Southwest, and a commutable Scottish island.

“We hope there is something to suit everyone.”

There are comments from the judges on each of the chosen locations below.

Trawden, Lancashire (Winner, new):
Is this the most community-spirited village in the country? Trawden’s triumph in buying and saving its shop, pub and library – and running
them to the highest possible standard – makes this unsung corner of Lancashire an example to the rest of rural Britain and a worthy “best in the Northwest”. The countryside is stunning, too, and Manchester and Leeds are both within manageable commuting distance.
Average house price: £186,000
Growth since 2020: 22%

Altrincham, Greater Manchester:
The magical food hall and market that transformed this former Cheshire market town from a dead-zone dormitory with the worst high street
in Britain into one of Manchester’s best destinations goes from strength to strength. The schools are among the best in the Northwest, the tram offers an easy route to Media City and the city centre and parks and countryside are all within easy reach.
Average house price: £531,000
Growth since 2020: 10%

Christleton, Cheshire (New):
This picture-perfect spot offers an aspirational version of traditional village life just a few miles from the centre of Chester. It’s beautiful, much loved by its residents, has excellent schools right on the doorstep and a shop, café and excellent pubs.
Average house price: £489,000
Growth since 2020: 39%

Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria:
An immovable fixture in Best Places to Live: no other town offers better access to so much magical scenery, and few others can match its attractive town centre for independent shops. The school, rugby club and churches all play a keen role in the community and the Royal Barn tap room and Milking Parlour cow-to-cone ice cream shop are the kind of businesses that would improve any town.
Average house price: £404,000
Growth since 2020: 3%

Prestwich, Greater Manchester (New):
The North Manchester suburb makes its debut in the Best Places to Live list, thanks to a fast-improving roster of bars and restaurants – Osma, Keg, Cask and Bottle and many more – that now rivals more traditional hotspots such as Chorlton or Didsbury. Heaton Park is probably Manchester’s best, the tram offers a quick and easy route to the centre and the volunteer-run arts festival shows that both culture and community are thriving.
Average house price: £246,000
Growth since 2020: 18%

West Kirby, Merseyside:
A view across the Dee estuary and the choice of excellent independent cafés and bars add a sprinkle of magic to a town that’s perfect for both active downsizers and families – with excellent schools, sports clubs and trains to Liverpool.
Average House Prices 2022: £409,064
Growth since 2020: 14%

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live covers the following
regions: North and Northeast, Midlands, Northern Ireland, Southeast, Wales, Southwest, East, London, Scotland and the Northwest.

Ilkley, West Yorkshire,
was named as the overall Best Place to Live in the UK.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/best-places-to-live