This section sets out who lives in Bury, the housing challenges the borough faces, and the vision and strategic objectives that will guide our approach over the next ten years.
Who Lives in Bury and What Do They Need?
Understanding our communities and their needs is the foundation of this strategy. Bury is a borough of approximately 200,000 residents, growing steadily since 2011, with significant changes in the age profile, household composition, and affordability of housing.
The fastest-growing age group is those aged 50-64, up by around 10%. Owner occupation stands at 66.9%, above the England average of 63%. Private renters now make up 17-18% of households, up sharply over the last decade and approximately 15% of households live in affordable housing.
Together, these changes point to a borough where housing need is becoming more complex, with growing pressure on affordability, suitability, and choice across all tenures.
An Ageing Population Reshaping Demand
Bury is getting older, and faster than the national average. More older residents mean greater need for accessible, adaptable, and specialist homes, and for services that support independent living. We value our ageing population and want to work harder to help them.
A More Diverse, Changing Community
The borough is more ethnically diverse than a decade ago. Households are getting smaller and more people are living alone. This shifts demand towards smaller properties and different types of support.
Affordability Squeezing People Out
House prices and rents have risen faster than incomes. Fewer people can afford to buy. More are stuck in private renting or waiting for social housing, and the gap is widening.
The Housing Market: Gaps, Pressures, and Places
Demand for affordable and social housing far outstrips supply. The housing register is under sustained pressure, and more households are experiencing homelessness or living in temporary accommodation. Much of Bury's housing is Victorian or post-war stock, energy inefficient, hard to adapt, and not aligned with smaller households or those needing accessible homes.
Older households occupy large homes they cannot easily move from; other families are overcrowded. There is not enough of the right housing in the right places to enable movement. Bury is not one housing market, the borough spans very different places, each with its own pressures, opportunities, and character:
HNDA neighbourhood area, with towns / places incorporated |
Median house price, 2024 |
Market headline |
| East Bury — Bury East, Moorside, Redvales; covers the eastern / town centre side of Bury |
£165,000 |
Bury’s most affordable and mixed-tenure market. Lowest median price, with relatively high levels of affordable housing and private renting, and a varied stock profile including smaller houses and flats. |
| North Bury — Ramsbottom, Tottington, North Manor, Elton |
£230,000 |
A higher-value established owner-occupied market. Highest level of owner occupation and the lowest affordable housing share, with a stronger presence of larger homes and bungalows. |
| Prestwich — Prestwich, St Mary’s, Sedgley; includes Prestwich Village NFA |
£278,000 |
The highest-value and most pressured market. Strong demand and high prices create affordability challenges, particularly for first-time buyers and renters. |
|
West and Radcliffe — Radcliffe, Radcliffe East, Radcliffe West, Radcliffe North and Ainsworth, Bury West |
£180,000 |
A relatively affordable family and regeneration market. Prices are below the borough median, with a mixed tenure profile and a strong 3-bedroom housing offer. |
|
Whitefield — Whitefield, Besses, Unsworth |
£245,000 |
A higher-value suburban family market. High owner occupation, a strong 3-bedroom house offer, and affordability pressures compared with East Bury and Radcliffe. |
The challenge is not just to build more homes, it is to build the right homes, in the right places, to reduce inequality and support every resident to live well.
Homes for Bury: Our Vision 2026-2036
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'Working together to ensure everyone in Bury has access to a safe, affordable home that reduces inequalities, supports health and wellbeing, and creates strong, thriving communities.' |
Our vision and objectives align with Bury's ambition to be a fairer, healthier, and more inclusive borough. Through the Let's Do It! Strategy and the Corporate Plan, we are focused on reducing inequalities, improving health and wellbeing, and supporting inclusive growth.
Our Five Strategic Objectives
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Objective 1: Deliver more homes
Ensuring the right number and mix of new homes are built in the right places to meet current and future needs while creating sustainable, well-connected communities. |
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Objective 2: Improve quality, efficiency, and use Raising standards across all homes, making them safer, warmer, and more energy efficient, while making better use of existing housing stock. |
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Objective 3: Enable access to homes that meet needs Helping residents find and keep homes that are affordable, suitable, and support their independence, health, and wellbeing. |
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Objective 4: Prevent homelessness and create pathways Taking a proactive and coordinated approach to prevent homelessness and ensure access to stable, appropriate housing at every stage of life. |
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Objective 5: Excellent landlord, better homes, stronger places To be an excellent landlord by investing in high-quality council homes, improving the tenant experience, and reimagining estates as safe, sustainable, and thriving places where people are proud to live. |