Horwich ‘holiday’ homes are ‘second’ to none

Looking for a beautifully restored and renovated property set in idyllic surroundings to use for weekends away from the rat-race?

Then look no further than Arcon Village in Horwich where the past is being brought back to life with an extraordinary development of homes, and where a brand new refurbished show home is now open for viewings.

Arcon Village is a haven of calm, nestled between colourful woodland and rolling green hills. The attractive development - that started life as an 18th century bleach works - has been painstakingly transformed by Redrow into a collection of around 140 one and two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom town houses and mews-style cottages.

It’s this lifestyle that is making the development popular with second home buyers.

Forget the Lakes or the Peak District, for a North West haven with lots to do, including moorland walks, country parks and sites of Special Scientific interest, Horwich and the surrounding areas have plenty to offer. There’s Winter Hill, Rivington Park, Lord Leverhulme’s Gardens, Red Moss and ‘Two Lads’ hill to name a few.

Horwich itself has a wealth of entertainment available, including a two day summer carnival and several pubs, restaurants and cafes to visit, while the larger centres of Bolton and Manchester are both within easy reach.

According to the Economic Society and Research Council (ESRC), there are over 185,000 second homes in the UK – just 0.6% of the total stock in the country. The environmental cost of flying abroad has been highly publicised in recent years, and it seems more and more buyers are looking for somewhere a bit closer to home to escape to for a bit of relaxation.

A place like Arcon Village in Horwich, for example, offers second home buyers a stunning Grade II listed property, sympathetically restored to be in keeping with the surroundings, tucked away below local landmark, Winter Hill, near Bolton.

Christine Aitken, sales director for Redrow Homes (Lancashire) says: “Horwich is so well positioned for access to the rest of the north west – including Preston, Chorley, Bolton and Manchester. We’ve had several customers make this their second residence – the unique setting and homes full of character make it an address worth investing in.

“We have dedicated a huge amount of time and money into sensitively restoring the buildings that were once part of the Arcon bleach works in keeping with their Grade II listed status – and it’s this care and attention to detail which sets Arcon apart.

“Its secluded nature, hidden away behind striking scenery and a long driveway, has proved popular with buyers. Only five miles from Bolton and close to the M61 motorway, the development is easily accessible for those long weekends.”

Redrow is working with the local authority, as well as English Heritage and the University of Manchester’s Archaeological unit to sympathetically convert the buildings to homes steeped in character.

A show home is currently open for prospective buyers to visit. It is a three-bedroom, split-level, mews-style cottage, decorated and designed with sophistication in mind – mirroring the style Arcon Village projects. The colour scheme incorporates hues of burnt orange, warm gold and metallic greys - demonstrating the complexity of the design and the glamour of the interior.

There is a wide range of homes currently on release at Arcon Village – including two-bedroom ground floor apartments with parking, priced at £175,995, as well as two and three-bedroom mid-mews style properties priced from £216,995 and four-bedroom cottages, similar to the show home, priced at £272,995.

For further information, visit arconvillage.co.uk or redrow.co.uk.