Owning a home backing onto the stunning vistas of a National Park is a dream for many – and new research has revealed just how much buyers will need to pay for the privilege.
Home buyers are paying an extra £422,225 on average in order to live in within the boundaries of a National Park, new data from Savills reveals.
Typically, that means they pay 51 per cent more than homes in the rest of their county.
Within a National Landscape, previously known as Areas of Outstanding National Beauty, house hunters are willing to pay a premium of 48 per cent.
Natural beauty: Houses in Bosham, Chichester, will cost more than double the county average
National Landscape areas demand a higher price tag, with an average of £581,121, which Savills said reflects where these areas are located in the country.
In National Scenic Areas, the Scottish equivalent of National Landscapes, buyers are willing to pay an average of £285,175, a 46 per cent premium to the average price in their wider areas of £195,529.
Frances McDonald, director of research at Savills, said: ‘Over the last few years, as buyers have reevaluated their priorities, we have seen a surge in interest in living amongst greenery or nearby access to green space.’
National Parks, National Landscapes and National Scenic Areas, which cover around 22 per cent of the country, all have designated legal protection due to their natural beauty.
The Chilterns, the Cotswolds and Dorset are all thought to be under consideration to be designated as a new National Park.
Where do buyers pay the most for natural beauty?
Homes located in Chichester Harbour top the list for the highest premiums, with houses in the National Landscape area commanding an eye-watering 122.1 per cent premium to the average second hand sale price of just £442,957 in West Sussex.
A harbourside house there will set you back £983,389 on average.
‘Straddling Hampshire and West Sussex, and home to unspoilt villages such as Itchenor which enjoys views of both the countryside and coast, average sold prices are now 15.6 per cent more than they were a year ago to live in the Conservancy,’ McDonald said.
Houses in the Gower region of Wales and in Loch Lomond in Scotland sell for a premium of 121.8 per cent and 114.4 per cent respectively.
| Area | Classification | Average second hand sale price, 12 months to Oct-23 | County(s) average second hand sale price, 12 months to Oct-23 | Premium above county average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chichester Harbour | National Landscape | 983,389 | 442,857 | 122.10% |
| Gower | National Landscape | 441,585 | 199,110 | 121.80% |
| Loch Lomond | National Scenic Area | 404,637 | 188,744 | 114.40% |
| New Forest | National Park | 800,053 | 390,091 | 105.10% |
| Lake District | National Park | 455,711 | 223,677 | 103.70% |
| Mendip Hills | National Landscape | 735,004 | 373,622 | 96.70% |
| North Arran | National Scenic Area | 354,967 | 181,481 | 95.60% |
| Cannock Chase | National Landscape | 458,644 | 238,164 | 92.60% |
| Lynn of Lorn | National Scenic Area | 348,800 | 181,481 | 92.20% |
| Howardian Hills | National Landscape | 545,761 | 288,311 | 89.30% |
| Savills | ||||
However, the average selling price of these is far lower compared with Chichester Harbour, as just £441,585 for Gower and £404,637 for Loch Lomond.
Properties in the New Forest National Park will also set buyers back more than double the cost of the average home in the area, at £800,053, compared with £390,091 on average.
Similarly, homes in the Lake District sell for £455,711, compared to a county average of £223,677, Savills said.
Also selling for almost double the average price are homes in the National Landscape areas of the Mendip Hills, Cannock Chase and the Howardian Hills, alongside the National Scenic Areas of Lynn of Lorn and North Arran in Scotland.
‘Recent Government commitments to ensuring that National Landscapes become leading exemplars of how thriving, diverse communities can work with and for nature means that we are likely to continue to see strong buyer interest and price premiums,’ McDonald said.
We picked three homes at different budgets which are surrounded by nature, all of which are on the market with Savills.
1. Howardian Hills: Seven-bed manor, £7million
Country estate: This property comes with 211 acres of arable land alongside existing buildings
This seven-bedroom manor house in the Howardian Hills, North Yorkshire, is on sale for £7,000,000.
The property boasts a detached two-bedroom cottage, an indoor swimming pool and a whopping 200 acres of arable land.
The south-facing property is also just seventeen miles north of York and the main East Coast rail line.
2. South Downs: Three-bed cottage, £695,000
Quiet location: This property is surrounded by farmland, but has good connections
This three-bedroom detached cottage in West Sussex could be yours for £695,000.
The house, which has a south-facing garden, is located near to local railway stations and shops and is set in a quarter of an acre of land.
The period property also has a three-car driveway, and is in easy reach of the south coast.
3. South Downs: Four-bed barn, £750,000
Past uses: This period property is situated on the grounds of a former school
This former brick-built barn, which was once on the grounds of a school, is on the market for £750,000.
The property has four bedrooms, including one situated in a converted dovecote, and has parking space for four cars.
Located near the village of Wisborough Green, the surrounding area is also home to the 400-acre woodland, Mens Nature Reserve.
