Manchester is undergoing remarkable change at light speed – blink and you’ll miss it.
As one of the UK’s fastest growing cities, demands on housing, office space and infrastructure are only ever trending upwards. A surging population of students, young professionals and families have resulted in growth in demand, only tempered by the swell of new developments rising across the city.
Currently, 140,000 people work in Manchester’s city centre with an estimated additional 55,000 by the end of 2025. This population growth is double the national average. This is also having an effect on property prices. It is estimated that Manchester will experience a 19.3% capital growth in the property market over the next 5 years, promising substantial returns on investment.
The city stands as a major attraction for developers and investors alike due to its substantial growth trajectory. In this article we will outline some of the key developments taking place across the city that promise our investors high capital appreciation and net rental yields.
The Vista River Gardens new build is set to complete at the end of 2025 is part of the Trinity Islands Development in Manchester, a £535m total build cost project. When completed, Vista River Gardens will become the joint second-tallest building in Manchester alongside Beetham Tower. These lofty heights stand as an apt metaphor for the path that Manchester City now finds itself on.
The developments will offer residents luxury amenities in the centre of Manchester including a 24-hour concierge, gym and spin studio, games room, a bookable onsite cinema, a content creation & podcast room, various resident’s lounges and co-working spaces. Investors will benefit from expected regional capital appreciation rates of 19.3% over the next 5 years and and estimate net yield of 6.0%.
Set to complete in the second quarter of 2027, Vivere will offer 237 apartments in the Cornbrook area of Central Manchester, nearby to Castlefield. The entire project is set to cost around £64.2m and will offer apartments from £229,000. A number of luxury amenities will be on offer including a coffee bar, gym, residents lounge, and co-working spaces; a concierge, meeting rooms, a cinema room, and a private dining room.
Investors will benefit from high capital appreciation, net rental yields and a investor-friendly payment plan necessitating only a 10% on exchange of contracts, minus the £5,000 reservation fee.
As part of a £1.6bn regeneration of the popular Trafford region in Manchester, X1 Trafford Water is now under construction with an expected completion date of Q2 2027. Apartments will start at £209,274 and will offer investors a assured net rental yield guarantee of 6.0% for 5 years.
With a 13.4% rental increase in the last 12 months and property prices set to increase over 29.4% in the next five years (Savills Report), X1 Trafford Waters represents an excellent investment opportunity.
While luxury apartments make up a substantial proportion of the city’s overall development, affordable housing remains a priority. Under Project 500, hundreds of new affordable homes will be constructed on council-owned land and delivered for social rent. Recently, housing association Mosscare St Vincent has had 44 houses and 26 flats approved for constructed in and around the Cheetham Hill area, north of Manchester’s city centre.
Hundreds of other homes will be going through the approval process and getting under construction in the coming weeks and months. “Project 500 is one of the innovative ways that we are working with housing partners in the city to meet our ambitious housing strategy target”, says Gavin White, MCC’s housing and development member.
Beyond residential and commercial projects, Manchester’s sporting infrastructure is also set for a major upgrade. Trafford Council has approved Manchester United’s ambitious proposal for a 100,000-seat stadium, which is expected to contribute £4.2 billion to the local economy. The plan, still under review, could either involve renovating Old Trafford or constructing a new adjacent stadium. This project is anticipated to create 48,000 jobs and generate 15,000 new homes, making it one of the largest developments in the city’s history.
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