Property Market Overview - Old Trafford

News

Old Trafford is the focus of this month’s Property Market Overview

Each month, CERT gives its views and insights on the North West property market, the latest trends and the latest places where we are considering investing. This month we focus on Old Trafford as the place-making for the new Civic Quarter gains momentum.

Civic Quarter, Trafford

The Civic Quarter masterplan sees improved traffic framework including running and cycle tracks, an area of public realm as well as the substantial investment in the UA92 university site adjacent to CERT’s Talbot Road schemes. The Civic Quarter is highlighted in the image below with CERT’s Kinetic and insignia schemes central to the proposed development, directly opposite the UA92 site (formally Kelloggs).

Last Thursday our Property Management Director Paul met the team at UA92 who expect to welcome its first students this September. Microsoft will also occupy office space at the scheme, as well as offering work experience opportunities for the degree courses available in Media, Business, Sport and Psychology. The deadline for the first round of applications has now closed and the Academy has seen a huge response from all over the UK as well as International Students. As key investor in the Civic Quarter CERT hopes to form a close relationship with the university and it’s students, with the ability to offer both residential accommodation as well as social and professional opportunities through our business divisions.

Over in Stretford, just minutes walk or Metro from the Civic Quarter, a National Lottery Heritage bid is being prepared for Longford Park whilst it has also been announced that Mitul Moorar, owner of Manchester’s coolest corner shop Ancoats General Store will bring his evolved convenience store to the £2.5m revamp of Stretford Mall. Located directly opposite CERT’s Royal Canal Works scheme and the Streford Metro stop, half of the 6,000 sq ft site will be transformed into a shop selling a mixture of everyday necessities and more niche groceries, while the other half will become a bar and coffee shop with a kitchen hosting a rotating roster of street food traders.

“We are at our core a convenience store business offering everyday things for everyday prices. Everyone needs eggs, milk, bread and all that will be readily available,” says Mital.

“But we also provide organic, vegan and locally branded products as well and that gives us a high point of difference from the retail competition. Our aim is to go back to stores in the olden days when they were not just a place to shop, but a destination, somewhere people could meet, socialise and enjoy the whole process of shopping.”

The walls of the shop will showcase work by local artists and Mital says he’s keen to work with other businesses in Stretford as he has in Ancoats. As neighbours of the Ancoats General Store, we at CERT we can’t wait for this next incarnation of the hugely successful local shop; grocery shopping has certainly never been as exciting!

For more inspiration on property in Trafford, visit our Insignia project page.