A room with a view? A house in a national park could cost you 93 per cent more than the average
How much would you pay for a room with a view?
House prices in Britain’s national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) are commanding up to 125 per cent more than the average house price in their host counties, according to research from Knight Frank.
In 10 of the country’s 13 national parks, buyers paid more than a 20 per cent premium. The New Forest, in Hampshire, was both the most expensive national park and that which commanded the highest premium (93 per cent). The average price of a house in the areas was £451,241 – compared to £233,745 for Hampshire.
Areas of outstanding natural beauty had far higher average premiums: the lowest on the list of 10 was 64 per cent – enough to be the fourth-highest on the table of National-Park premiums.
Oliver Knight of Knight Frank residential research, said that although quality of life and landscapes were obvious benefits, there were practical considerations, too. It's harder to build in such areas because of restrictions, which means supply is scarce.
The high quality of life connected with living in some of the most beautiful and distinctive landscapes in England and Wales is an obvious attraction for many home buyers and our research shows there is a premium for homes located within a National Park or an AONB.
Supply of stock in these areas can often fall short of demand as there are more restrictive planning regimes, and this is one factor underpinning pricing.
The Surrey Hills was the most expensive AONB or National Park in 2014 with an average house price of £568,000.
Being within easy reach of London and in close proximity to major towns such as Guildford and Epsom, this is a popular commuter location and strong demand on the back of this – especially from London – has underpinned house prices.