Buyers pay 50% premium to live in one of Britain’s protected green spaces
Buyers are paying on average 48% more to live within one of Great Britain’s protected green spaces, according to latest research from Savills, with second-hand home sale prices roughly one and a half times higher than the surrounding counties in which they sit.
The average price of a property sitting within the boundaries of a national park is £422,225, compared to a county average of £279,171 (51% premium), while living within a National Landscape (formerly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) demands a higher price tag at £581,121 (48%) premium, in part due to where they are located in the country.
In Scotland, buyers are paying 46% more to live in a National Scenic Area (the Scottish equivalent).
| Average second-hand sale price, 12 months to Oct-23 | County average second-hand sale price, 12 months to Oct-23 | Premium vs counties in which the parks sit | |
| National Park | £422,225 | £279,171 | 51% |
| National Landscape | £581,121 | £392,182 | 48% |
| National Scenic Area | £285,175 | £195,529 | 46% |
Source: Savills Research using Land Registry
National Parks, National Landscapes and National Scenic Areas enjoy designated legal protection because of their special qualities, and cover approximately 22% of Great Britain. These locations are some of Great Britain’s most treasured areas and all form part of the Government’s “nature pledge” giving greater access and protection to the countryside.
| 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 | 122.1% |
| Gower | National Landscape | £441,585 | £199,110 | 121.8% |
| Loch Lomond | National Scenic Area | £404,637 | £188,744 | 114.4% |
| New Forest | National Park | £800,053 | £390,091 | 105.1% |
| Lake District | National Park | £455,711 | £223,677 | 103.7% |
| Mendip Hills | National Landscape | £735,004 | £373,622 | 96.7% |
| North Arran | National Scenic Area | £354,967 | £181,481 | 95.6% |
| Cannock Chase | National Landscape | £458,644 | £238,164 | 92.6% |
| Lynn of Lorn | National Scenic Area | £348,800 | £181,481 | 92.2% |
| Howardian Hills | National Landscape | £545,761 | £288,311 | 89.3% |
Source: Savills Research using Land Registry
However, price differences are significant between protected green areas. Chichester Harbour demands the highest house premium compared to the county average at 122%, followed by properties in Gower National Landscape in Wales (121.8%).
Properties in the New Forest and the Lake District National Parks and the Loch Lomond National Scenic Area are also more than double the price of the average property in the same county.
“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,” comments Frances McDonald, director of research at Savills.
“Our analysis reveals that the highest premiums can be found in the National Landscape of Chichester Harbour. 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% more than they were a year ago to live in the Conservancy.
“Recent government commitment 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.”
Currently, Britain’s National Parks attract an estimated 90 million visitors a year. The search for a new National Park in England – a manifesto commitment – began this year, with areas currently under consideration thought to be the Chilterns, Cotswolds and Dorset.
The Scottish government has also launched a process for a new National Park – with the Scottish Borders, Galloway, Lochaber, Loch Awe and Tay Forest all contenders.
