Manctopia is a billion pound property boom

It’s one of the fastest-developing cities in the UK, with the centre’s population predicted to double in the next five years as skyscrapers spring up.

But not everyone sees that as a good thing. While developers and rich would-be homeowners may see opportunities, some people whose families have lived there for generations fear they are being priced out, especially as many of the new properties in Greater Manchester are not classed as affordable. Filmed over the course of 12 months and primarily within a one-mile radius of the city centre, this series explores all aspects of the housing race, and the different personalities caught up in it.

Emma Loach, BBC Documentaries Commissioning Editor, says: “Property can be a dry financial issue – but behind every property deal is a person and a family. This series tells the stories of their lives and the highs and lows of the property process.”

Grace Reynolds and Sophie Leonard, Executive Producers from Minnow Films, add: “We were struck by the building boom in Manchester and felt there must be a human story to tell behind the skyscrapers. We found people with compelling stories, living through an astonishing time, many of them strikingly interconnected. Through them we are able to learn all kinds of things about cities and their development, what home means to us and what the future may look like.”

The idea of interconnected human stories centred around Manchester may conjure up images of Coronation Street, and the fact that the documentary is narrated by one of the soap’s former stars, Sally Lindsay, will probably add to the impression. But there’s arguably an even bigger spread of characters in Manctopia, from millionaires shopping for the perfect penthouse to friends in homeless shelters who are just trying to get themselves off the streets.

The first episode introduces us to millionaire Tim, who is redeveloping Manchester’s red-light district into a residential quarter, but it’s not without its challenges. As a chief fundraiser for the mayor’s homeless charity, Tim is also busy organising a concert to raise money for the city’s shelters, with Blossoms and the Courteeners on the bill.

Meanwhile, Helen moved to the city after a divorce and is looking for a new pad – and she has over a million pounds to spend. She will need to plenty of closet space for that though, as she has an impressive collection of designer clothing. But while the city centre may be booming, further out, the picture is very different. The cameras also visit Salford, where single mum Christina fears she can no longer afford to live in the area where she grew up, and is now hunting for a new home for her and her two children.

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