Peel Waters: Developer aiming to build 'UK's best destination'

Mr Whittaker said that "even with a difficult market, we have seen lots of amounts of growth"

The head of one of the North's biggest developers has vowed to build the "best retail and leisure destination in the world" in the area where he grew up.

Peel Waters, which built schemes like Salford's MediaCityUK and Wirral Waters, is creating a new district, water park and surf lagoon in Trafford.

Executive director James Whittaker said the aim was to bring the borough, and the wider North, long-term prosperity.

"We're Northerners. We want to see the economy thrive in the North," he said.

Peel Waters, part of property giant Peel L&P's portfolio of waterfront developments, has been responsible for regeneration projects in Salford, Merseyside, Manchester, Glasgow and Kent and been involved in the creation of Everton's new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium and Liverpool's second cruise ship terminal.

Work on Therme, which will be sited alongside the Peel-built Trafford Centre, is expected to begin in 2024

Mr Whittaker said that while the UK had seen economic difficulties in recent times, he was optimistic for the future in the North West of England because of projects like the one in Trafford, which will include the building of Therme - a venue that his firm have described as the UK's "first city-based wellbeing resort - alongside the Trafford Centre shopping mall.

"Obviously, [over] the last few years, we have seen a difficult market, but even with a difficult market, we have seen lots of amounts of growth," he said.

"I mean, who would have thought we'd have landed Therme?

"Who would have thought we would have landed Wave Garden [surf lagoon] and all the things that are happening around Trafford Waters?

"Who would have thought 20,000 homes in Manchester being occupied.

"I didn't see that coming. I thought where are the people going to come from? But they're now full."

The firm has been involved in major developments, including Salford's MediaCityUK and the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium in Liverpool

He told BBC Radio Manchester that while it had been a good year for development, he believed 2024 would bring a lot more projects.

"My gut feeling is that [by the] mid part of next year, I think we are going to be in a different world than we are today," he said.

"I think we will see a lot more development happening. A lot more growth. Better news for the economy."

But the project he is most excited about is the one in the borough where he grew up.

The £1bn Trafford Waters scheme will be built over the next 20 years, bringing 3,000 new homes, more than 100,000 sq ft of amenity space and 800,000 sq ft of commercial office and workspace as well as retail spaces and public places.

"We want to change places [and build] really quality places for everyone to live in," he said.

"It's not just about places, it's about the quality of those places, the public realm, open space, the recreation and leisure, the hotels to really start changing the whole of Greater Manchester, because that's where we're born and bred.

"We're Northerners. We want to see the economy thrive in the North."