Morris face big challenge at Edgewater Park

House-builder Morris faces a big challenge if their Edgewater Park development is to live up to expectations. Morris are certainly ambitious claiming to be building ‘A community that is designed to capture the same friendly, intimate 'village' atmosphere of its more well-established, and equally desirable neighbours: Stockton Heath, Grappenhall and Thelwall’. The problem however is that Edgewater Park is on the opposite bank of the Manchester Ship Canal in the far less desirable village of Latchford.

Including shops, cafe bar, parkland and a bowling green in the plans among the mix of apartments, family and executive homes is a positive start. Of the three show homes the flagship Winchester is an impressive 4 bed detached executive house with some thoughtful touches to its layout, the Sutton is only slightly smaller and has a good family feel to it. Sadly the 3 bed Ely feels cramped, the lounge being more of a corridor from the front door to the kitchen. Disappointingly a washer dryer and dishwasher only come as optional extras in the properties.

Once completed the development will be big enough to change the nature of Latchford and have the potential to raise the profile of the area. To achieve this Morris need to attract quality buyers which they will only do by meeting expectations and while the properties are priced around 20% cheaper than across the water, failure to include the expected white goods isn’t the luxury executives expect. A little more thought by the marketing department at Morris is needed if Edgewater Park is to meet the challenge.