The North West: An Evolving Landscape?

The North West’s development boom shows no signs of slowing, with new large-scale residential and commercial projects reshaping the region.

While this surge isn’t new, it marks a sustained period of investment and regeneration that has transformed cities and towns beyond Manchester.

Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter has attracted billions in investment, creating a hub for science, technology, education, and medicine. Meanwhile, Peel Group’s Wirral Waters, a £4.5 billion regeneration scheme in Birkenhead, continues its phased development, set to deliver thousands of homes and commercial spaces.

Beyond city centre skyscrapers, significant new developments are coming to market, reflecting the region’s evolving landscape:

• Halsnead Garden Village, Knowsley – A £270 million project set to be one of Merseyside’s largest residential schemes, delivering over 1,500 homes, a country park, and new community infrastructure. With planning already in place, further phases are expected from 2025 onwards.
• Buckshaw Village, Lancashire – One of the UK’s largest brownfield redevelopments, transforming a former industrial site into a thriving residential and commercial community. 
• Liverpool ONE Expansion, Liverpool – Already one of the UK’s leading retail and leisure destinations, Liverpool ONE is set for further investment and growth, with new commercial and residential developments expected to complete from 2025 onwards.

The student housing sector is also seeing rapid expansion, with projects like X1’s Cheltenham Place in Salford and Square Gardens in Manchester catering to the growing demand for high-quality Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). Meanwhile, Liverpool Waters and Wirral Waters are set to redefine large portions of the Merseyside waterfront with mixed-use schemes.

New Build Warranties North West: The Role of Insurance in Supporting Growth

With large-scale developments accelerating across the North West, securing robust property insurance has never been more important. Structural warranties, latent defects insurance, loss of rent cover, and deposit protection schemes are essential for mitigating risk and safeguarding developers, lenders, and buyers. With a growing pipeline of projects, the right insurance coverage has become a cornerstone of risk management.

For developers, A- structural warranty insurance ensures new builds are protected against defects for up to 10 or 12 years—an increasingly important factor for institutional investors and Build-to-Rent operators. Lenders funding these projects also require comprehensive insurance solutions to protect their investments from delays and liabilities.

For BTR & PBSA landlords and developers, A-Rated LDI cover with Loss of Rent Insurance is also another useful consideration  as it can be arranged alongside Latent Defects Insurance (LDI) 

To calculate the cost of your structural warranty with loss of rent cover, visit our Build to Rent Warranty Calculator:

Another consideration for luxury development projects is the​ integration of Deposit Protection Insurance alongside their A-rated warranty. By securing this, developers can access off-plan deposits during construction, reducing reliance on high-interest loans and enhancing financial flexibility. This approach not only safeguards buyers’ investments but also streamlines funding, allowing for more efficient allocation of resources throughout the project lifecycle

A Region to Watch – and J3’s Growing Presence in Manchester

The North West continues to be one of the UK’s most dynamic property markets, with ambitious developments and a strong investment pipeline driving its growth. 

I’ll be leading the Manchester office, working to strengthen J3 Advisory’s relationships across the North West property sector. With cranes shaping the skyline and new communities emerging, having the right insurance protections and project monitoring in place is more important than ever. Developers, lenders, and property professionals need the right expertise to manage risks and safeguard the future of the region’s booming property market—and we’re here to help.