While Build to Rent apartments have been making a big splash on the UK property scene for some time now, single family homes are the new flavour of the month for investors. They’re now popping up in and around some of the country’s most popular cities. So, where are the best single family homes developments in the UK? Read our ranking list to find out.
Single family homes developments: UK top 10
Our rankings below list the 10 highest-rated single family homes schemes in the UK. These have been reviewed by verified residents on HomeViews, so you can be sure that rankings come direct from the people who actually live there. Only developments with at least 10 reviews have been included on the list.
Residents provide independent reviews on every aspect of living in their new home. Review categories include facilities, design, location, value and management. Take a look to find your perfect new build rental home. Please note that this is a UK-wide list, so rankings are liable to change rapidly as new developments come onto the market and new reviews are posted.
The Pioneers tops the pile of single family housing developments in the UK. These rental-ony homes in Houlton, Warwickshire offer a range of newly built, highly energy-efficient two and three-bedroom family homes benefitting from solar panels as standard. Each one has a range of specifications and finishes available. They also have integrated Zanussi appliances, smart home technology including remote controlled heating, locking systems and alarms. The development is situated within the wider Urban and Civic Houlton development, comprising of mixed tenure homes, schools and other amenities.
Thie first of several Simple Life developments, it’s Simple Life at Abbotsfield at number two on our list. The development offers a collection of 2, 3 and 4 bed family homes with excellent retail and leisure opportunities nearby. Also, the train station is a 7 minute walk from the site providing direct services to Liverpool and Manchester. Ravenshead Retail Park is just 6 miles away, with the Sherdley Park nearby too for those who are after a bit of time with nature.
Additionally, Abbotsfield is also in close proximity to several excellent schools. These include Mill Green School, Parish Church of England Primary School, and Allanson Street Primary School.
Simple Life at Our Lady’s comes in at number three. This development is located in the popular and well-located area of Little Hulton in Worsley. It offers 2, 3 and 4 bedroom family homes and residents have plenty of good things to say about the wider development. One comment posted recently was: “Great new build with fab transport links.”
In fourth place, Bridgewater Park sits in Patricroft on the outskirts of Salford and Manchester and offers a canal-side setting. There are 142 homes on the site comprising 1 & 2 bedroom apartments and 2, 3 & 4 bedroom houses. As well as this, residents have great transport links to Central Manchester with Patricroft Station moments away.
Additionally, Allsop offers a range of amenities, such as 24 hour emergency phone line, pet-friendly living spaces and a resident app.
Taking fifth place is another SImple Life development, this time at Earle Street. The development is located in the western part of Newton-Le-Willows in the area of Earlestown.
The area has a small, yet busy town centre with an array of good local amenities, including a large Tesco superstore, a medical centre, post office, local market and other popular high street shops, pubs and restaurants. There is also a wide choice of primary and secondary schools with ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’ Ofsted ratings nearby. There are excellent train links with direct services to Liverpool, Chester, Warrington and Manchester. It’s also only 4 miles from the M6 if travelling by car.
Situated just a mile from Crewe, sixth placed Coppenhall Place offers a range of stunning brand new homes and apartments.
This site is perfectly located in an area that offers everything you need for work and play. It takes a short 20 minute walk to reach Crewe train station, allowing regular and fast connections to Manchester, Chester and Stoke-on-Trent. Alternatively for drivers, the M6 is only nine miles away which provides great access to both North and South of the area.
Seventh-placed Canal Side, a development of rental-only homes by Simple Life, benefits from close proximity to Wigan town centre. Also, it is less than 20 miles from both Manchester and Liverpool city centres. In addition, there is excellent connectivity via road and rail, being 3 miles from the M6/M58 interchange.
In eighth place it’s another Simple Life development, this time at Silkin Green. The development is less than a mile away from Telford Town Centre and only a few minutes walk from Stirchley Village and Dawley. The site has excellent transport links with Shrewsbury, Birmingham and Wolverhampton all within easy reach. The nearby shopping centre includes a cinema lots of places to eat and drink. The nearby Telford Forge Retail Park also includes a Sainsbury’s Supermarket and Tesco Extra.
Taking nonth place, Shrewsbury Close is a Build to Rent development in Rochdale. It offers a remarkable collection of two, three and four bedroom family homes. Also, as it is located in the suburban area of Middleton, it offers easy access to main motorway networks.
Located less than 2 miles from the centre of Kirkby, Highfield Place is a well-connected development. It offers easy access to the train station and shopping centre. In addition there is also easy access to a leisure centre and many other sought after amenities.
Single family rental homes are specifically for renting, rather than for sales. Their aim is to provide a stress-free experience for the renter. This means you can expect simple contract terms and additional perks and facilities. These might include community events and spaces, inclusive bills, furnished properties, on-site management and flexible contract terms.
While the Build to Rent sector has gained a reputation for its glitzy city-centre apartment developments, there are a growing number of sites featuring traditional houses. Properties can range from two-bedroom houses right up to large, four or five-bedroom family homes.
The developments provide high-quality, modern housing in convenient locations. Management companies work hard to create a sense of community among residents. Similarly, you can expect a higher level of family-friendly amenities and features in developments built for single family renting. These may include lots of green spaces, wider pavements to better accommodate pushchairs, larger driveways for bigger family cars, dog-walking zones, children’s playgrounds and more.
Why choose a single family homes development?
There are numerous benefits to selecting a Build to rent single family homes development. The housing is typically of a higher quality than the traditional rental sector, with new homes designed specifically for the rental experience.
Developers design their collections of homes with a focus on community. As such, rental developments can have a more neighbourly atmosphere, with local events and community spaces provided for use by residents.
If you’re considering renting, a Build to Rent property offers you a tailored rental experience, with flexible terms and contract lengths. Some companies offer long-term tenancies of three years or longer, providing peace of mind for residents. Meanwhile, if you require something more short-term, there are also options out there for you.
Where are the best single family homes developments in the UK?
So, where are the highest-rated single family homes developments in the UK? City centres tend to dominate the market for Build to Rent apartments. However, rental housing developments are most commonly found in the suburbs.
Four of our top 10 new rental homes developments are located in the Greater Manchester region. Two occupy locations between Manchester and Merseyside, while two are in Birmingham. Meanwhile, the suburbs of Liverpool are home to two developments, making it a strong showing overall for the north-west of England.
HomeViews provides verified resident reviews of the UK’s housing developments. We’re working with developers, landlords and the Government to recognise high performers and help to improve standards in the built environment.
