Heaton & Partners, a property search agency established four years ago, has expanded into the north of England by merging with AcQuire Property, owned by Phil Martin.

This will see Heaton & Partners now cover prime northern property hotspots including Cheshire, Manchester, Liverpool and the Lake District.

Martin worked for the original Garrington Home Finders alongside Phil Spencer for five years from 2004, and then the follow-on company Garrington Property Finders before he set up AcQuire in 2015.

He now becomes a partner in Heaton & Partners.

Martin specialises in acting for buyers in prime residential property acquisition, ranging from luxury city centre apartments through property investment portfolios to multi-million pound country houses.

Martin will work with Edward Heaton, founder of Heaton & Partners, to grow the property investment side of the business, encouraging clients to focus on key northern cities such as Manchester and Liverpool as well as London.

Rents are forecast to grow by 7% in London but by almost 18% in the next five years in Manchester and Liverpool.

Martin said: “This is the time for savvy businesses to look north.

“The north-west has become an increasingly attractive property investment opportunity in the last few years; with Manchester particularly going through a boom.

“High-profile companies are looking to relocate their operations to the north; the expansion of both Manchester and Liverpool airports brings new opportunities from afar; and HS2 will cut travel to London to an hour.

“I am delighted to be helping Heaton & Partners expand into one of the fastest growing economic regions of the UK outside London.”