Mallard Walk

Shopping and dining

Mallard Walk lies on the outskirts of Stafford town centre and is within a few minutes’ drive of several major supermarkets, as well as a large selection of high-street and independent stores. Guildhall Shopping Centre and the streets surrounding it are all popular retail destinations with visitors; there’s a regular indoor market on Earl Street and a monthly farmer’s market is held in Market Square.

Madford Retail Park is half a mile from the development and is one of several in and around Stafford, while further afield, Trentham Shopping Village with its range of specialist shops, cafés and restaurants is 20 minutes’ drive away in Stoke-on-Trent. Part of the 725-acre Trentham Estate, the shopping village is located next to tourist attractions Trentham Gardens and Trentham Monkey Forest.

The centre of Stafford plays host to a variety of eateries and bars, ranging from branches of popular chains to niche restaurants, cafés and traditional pubs, such as the Soup Kitchen, known for its homemade specialities, coffees and afternoon tea, and the Bear Grill, a grade II listed building dating back to the 1650s.

Leisure and entertainment

Lovers of culture and the arts are well catered-for in Stafford, with venues including the Gatehouse Theatre for family entertainment, live music, stand-up comedy and drama; the Shire Hall Gallery for art and craft exhibitions; the Ancient High House, a museum and exhibition space, which dates back to the 16th century, and Stafford Castle, originally built during the Norman period and now home to the annual Stafford Festival Shakespeare performance.

The town also benefits from a wealth of parks and green spaces, including Victoria Park with its play area, aviary, sensory garden and riverside walks, and Rowley Park, less than 10 minutes’ drive from Mallard Walk, which is home to an athletics track, games area, tennis courts and football pitches.

Education

Residents will find a number of well-regarded schools in the local area, including Doxey Primary and Nursery School for younger children and Sir Graham Balfour High School for older students. Further and higher education providers include Stafford College, around half a mile from Mallard Walk, and Staffordshire University, 17 miles away.

Transport

Major roads easily accessible from these new homes in Stafford include the M6 (junction 14), for travel to Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Coventry, Manchester and Liverpool, and the A34, for travel north to Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Cheadle and Manchester, and south to Walsall, Birmingham, Oxford and Winchester.

For commuters, Stafford Railway Station lies half a mile from Mallard Walk and from there trains run to a variety of destinations, including Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham New Street, Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston.

The nearest airport is Birmingham Airport, which is 39 miles from the development via the M6.