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Good news on home front for comic Kay's mum

IT seems that Peter Kay's sell-out "My Mum Wants a Bungalow" tour has done more than make the punters laugh.

It might have led to renewed demand for bungalows in the comedian's home town of Bolton.

Developer Bellway plans to build them at its Sandfield Park site on Crompton Way.

In recent years it appeared that their fate had been sealed, with fewer and fewer developers choosing to build them. They might have an old-fashioned image, but Bellway says they could be just what modern home-buyers have been missing.

"We are extremely pleased to be able to offer the Kendal bungalow, especially because this particular home type has become such a rare commodity," says Barbara McWhinnie, of Bellway.

"Town planners don't tend to like it because it occupies a larger plot than the traditional `townhouse', but more space is exactly what homebuyers want."

Bungalows were recently voted the most sought-after housing type in England, as there aren't many of them around. Most of the properties were built between the 1930s and 1970s.

Manchester-based James McGing, director of Space For Living and chairman of the National Association of Estate Agents, says: "Since land became more expensive bungalows are rarely built. Developers first decided that they could make bigger returns on detached properties, and then town houses, with three storeys."

Julie Westby, of Vale Estates, Heaton Mersey, says: "There is a huge demand for bungalows. There are never enough on the market. They are popular with older buyers nearing retirement. As numbers in this age group are growing, it's forcing demand for them.

"For every bungalow that comes on to the market, each estate agent will have about twelve people looking for one. The properties sell as soon as they come on the market."

The prices for bungalows are generally higher than other properties, as a result of the demand says McGing. He says these price increases also affect the surrounding properties.

"Generally, the price of houses is higher in areas where there are bungalows. This is because, as they are low level, the people in the surrounding houses are generally not overlooked.

"It's also because older people typically live in bungalows, and this means the area is generally respectable and homes and gardens are well-maintained."

The bungalow originated in Bengal, India. When the British moved there in the 18th century they discovered a local hut referred to as a bunglas or bunggalos.

It was usually made of bamboo with a huge thatched roof. The boom didn't catch on in Britain until the early part of the 20th century.

The properties were built across the country with gardens at the front and the back. In particular, Cheshire and areas of south Manchester, such as Cheadle, Heald Green and Gatley are known for their higher density of bungalows, according to McGing.

But after the early 1970s, land became more expensive. It was increasingly difficult to get planning permission for low-density housing estates, and developers realised they could make more money elsewhere.

Bellway is reintroducing the bungalow as one house-type within a number of its developments across Greater Manchester, including Sandfield Park in Bolton.

Called the Kendal bungalow, the property has two bedrooms, a spacious lounge and dining room with french windows leading to a garden at the rear. The front bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe and large bay window.

The kitchen, separate from the dining area, offers a choice of fittings as well as oven, hob and extractor fan.

Sandfield Park is next door to Hall'i'th'Wood train station and within easy reach of the M60 and M61. It is also near amenities including a wide range of shops and The Valley entertainment centre. There are two Kendal bungalows available priced from £126,950. McGing says: "People who have been in a bungalow for a while are probably sitting on quite a lot of money in the property." He adds that developers want to buy bungalows with big gardens and knock them down so they can redevelop the land.

They are also in demand from an older age group, who - unlike first time buyers - usually have money to spend.

The publicity the homes have been given from the region's favourite comedian may have helped of course. When Kay's tour smashed box office records, he said it was "time to start looking for mum's bungalow". With the new buildings, there will be more for her choose from than ever.

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