Homes in Rural Beauty Spots Command Premium

Despite the rise of urban living in the UK, many home buyers are still searching for the ultimate period property in an idyllic green setting, research suggests.

In particular, the country’s 15 designated green breathing spaces or National Parks along with 45 smaller Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) often appeal to many.

A new analysis from real estate agents of these areas across the country, excluding coastal locations, shows that the average sale price for a detached house within a National Park or AONB is £450,000.

This compares with a value of £347,000 for properties in the same county not within the park or AONB and represents a hefty 29.7% premium for buyers seeking their perfect property in these locations.

The research report identifies key established prime and emerging prime hotspots throughout the UK and the most expensive areas were found to be in the south of the country. Surrey Hills is the most expensive green location in the prime market while Snowdonia National Park in Wales is the cheapest.

The established prime areas are named as Surrey Hills where the average sale prices in 2015 was £963,000, some 82.4% over the rest of the county and up 9% compared to five years ago. Next is the South Downs with an average 2015 sale price of £721,000, some 57.6% above the rest of the county and up 20.1% over five years. Then it is the Cotswolds with an average price of £558,000, some 47% more than the rest of the area and up 9.8% over five years.

Emerging prime areas are topped by Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs with an average sale price of £507,000 in 2015, some 26.5% more than the rest of the area and up 10.9% over five years. Next is the Kent Down with an average of £565,000 but this is 4.4% less than the rest of the country although average prices are up 8.4% over five years. Then is High Weald with a 2015 sales price average of £570,000, some 7% above the rest of the area and up 5.7% over five years.

In the emerging prime market, the Midlands and Wales saw strong growth, with the Lincolnshire Wolds showing an 11.9% increase over a five year period, attracting a premium of 25.8% above county averages. Clwydian Range and Dee Valley in Wales has an average sale price of just £272,000 but this is some 26.2% over the country average and up 9.6% over a five year period.

In the North of the country the Howardian Hills, populated with scenic villages and historic houses, maintained a 36.9% premium over the surrounding county. In the Yorkshire Dales the average 2015 sales price at £380,000 is some 27.2% compared with the rest of the country but is down 2.6% over five years.

In Scotland in the Cairngorms National Park the average price of £250,000 is some 0.8% below the average and up just 0.7% over five years. In the popular Lake District while the average sales price of £446,000 is 64.8% over the rest