Greater Manchester Pension Fund backs major Trafford housing development
Published: September 2, 2025
The Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) has partnered with real estate fund manager Moorfield Group to develop 440 build-to-rent homes in Trafford.
The pair will develop, own and operate the £120m venture, Podium, with GMPF’s investment being completed through the Greater Manchester Property Venture Fund, which is advised by CBRE.
The scheme is being delivered by developer Glenbrook and main contractor Domis Construction, with the first phase set to be completed by the second quarter of 2026.
Overall, the 440 homes will be arranged across four buildings and a central podium, with a range of housing types available, including apartments and townhouses aimed at young professionals and families.
All residents will have access to both ground and podium-level amenities, which include resident lounges, reception areas, a co-working space, a gym and studio, a roof terrace, cycle storage and a 200-space car park.
The project forms part of Trafford’s 55-acre Civic Quarter masterplan, which will see up to 4,000 homes delivered alongside new public realm, green space and more than 500,000 square feet of mixed commercial space.
Councillor Eleanor Wills, chair of the Greater Manchester Pension Fund, said: “I am proud that the Greater Manchester Pension Fund, alongside Moorfield, GMCA and Trafford Council, is supporting the provision of high-quality mid-market rental housing in Greater Manchester.
“The strategy supports the government’s plan to provide much needed homes that are affordable to young families and those looking to get their first step on the housing ladder, whilst enabling us to secure the pensions of our members.”
Charles Ferguson-Davie, co-chief executive and chief investment officer of Moorfield Group, added: “Our joint venture with Greater Manchester Pension Fund sees us partner with a forward-thinking UK institutional investor who understand the long-term benefits high-quality purpose-built rental housing can bring to local communities and economies.
“This transaction enables us to recycle capital into other compelling opportunities we are seeing within UK living real estate. There is a long-standing structural demand-supply imbalance, and a need for new housing of different tenures and typologies.”
