Elan Homes, the company behind a host of successful developments in Greater Manchester, is keen to acquire more land in a bid to create more homes in the area.

The developer says the move will help to satisfy increasing demand for new properties and comes after its most recent developments have either sold out, have only a few homes remaining for sale or have dozens of eager buyers waiting for sales to launch.

Millfields, which transformed a former brownfield site in Boothroyden Road in Middleton, has seen all of its 67 properties eagerly snapped up; while at Holcombe Gardens in Ramsbottom, the final two homes are available.

There are more developments on the way. Birchfield Court, in Swinton, will give a new lease of life to land on Worsley Road, where a former nursing home had become redundant and unused. Taking a sensitive approach, Elan will convert two gatehouses on the 19th century estate but demolish what was Swinton Hall, to create 18 new homes – the first to be released for sale this summer – to sit alongside them in an intimate, and secure, gated development.

Meanwhile work at Hazelfields in Poynton will soon be underway to prepare the land for 133 new homes, set to be built across 7.47 acres with a £1.8 million boost to the local economy as a result of the development via section 106 contributions.


Philip Palmer, land director for Elan Homes in the North, said: "The need for more high-quality housing has never been greater. We have seen that evidenced by the popularity of our developments in the Greater Manchester area and wider North West region, and the sales success which they have seen.

"Homebuilding has a massively important part to play in both the local and wider economy, especially as the country emerges from the effects of the pandemic, providing housing and employment, boosting investment in those local communities, and generating tax income for local authorities."

The Government is targeting 300,000 new homes a year nationwide in a bid to meet the housing need.

"At Elan we are proud to be helping to achieve that housing target and will endeavour to keep doing so by looking to acquire additional land on which we can build more quality developments," Philip added.

"Having previously built new homes which have been keenly sought-after, we would like to continue our presence in Greater Manchester, always working with the authorities to fulfil the specific needs of any particular area and being ever mindful of considerate development."

Elan Homes is looking to acquire new sites and wants to hear from landowners with sites that have development potential.

It will consider land of varying size – having sites of 21 to 157 homes in the current portfolio. With the land market extremely competitive and as an independent homebuilder, Elan takes a more flexible approach to land acquisition than that adopted by other companies.

Elan will consider brownfield or greenfield land with, or without, planning permission, including sites occupied with derelict or underused buildings which offer potential for residential development.

Philip said: "We have a proven track record of working with landowners, local authorities, industrial operators, land promoters and other stakeholders to progress schemes through the development phases, appraising the local market and assessing who would want to live there, and why, before planning a bespoke development to address housing need in that particular area."