Assetz® News - Anything but grim up north

Anything but grim up north

3rd November 2008 |

Those hoping to invest in a country house, perhaps with a swimming pool, a tennis court or a large cellar could find the north is the best place to look.

Such a suggestion has been made by Country Life Magazine, which has noted that this particular segment of the market may be holding up better outside the south of England.

The magazine reported that while the south is more prone to volatility and lacking in choice just now, the north has plenty of stability and relatively low prices, as well as a large selection for buyers.

It quoted Kendal-based agent Andrew Holmes as one expert who can testify to the continued strength of the market in this part of the country.

He stated: "With the Lake District on one side, the Yorkshire Dales on the other and plenty of people looking to buy, we've remained pretty well insulated from the downward trend that has hit the market in other parts of the country."

Of course, Kendal does offer a good base in between locations. The M6 motorway is nearby, providing a link both northwards towards the border with Scotland and southwards towards the major urban centres of the north-west. It is also linked by the West Coast mainline via Oxenholme Station, so accessibility by transport is very good, as is the quality of countryside presented by the adjacent national parks and also less-heralded areas close by such as the north Pennines, upper Lunesdale and the Trough of Bowland.

For nature lovers, much of this part of the world offers not just the kind of mountain scenery not seen in the south (where the only ground over 2,000 ft is on the High Willhays-Yes Tor ridge on Dartmoor) but wildlife too, such as red squirrels. Here people may find the kind of beauty and inspiration that fired the imaginations of literary giants like Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter, or social reformers like John Ruskin, who lived in country homes in the Lake District.

While the New Forest and South Downs have been made into national parks, a great swathe of the hilly north has been designated as such. In addition to the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District there is Northumbria, the North York Moors and the Peak District.

One advantage to living in such places is that planning rules will limit development, so any plans for new building that creates eyesores, causes traffic congestion or blocks views is unlikely to take place. To give a flavour of this, the Lake District National Park Authority states that its planning policies are designed to "protect and enhance the spectacular landscape and world class visitor experiences, and promote a prosperous economy and vibrant communities". Similarly, the Yorkshire Dales authority states that its planning is geared to the need to "conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage" of the park.

All of this may appeal considerably to those thinking of investing in property in the rural north. For those living in national parks, preservation is built into the system. On the other hand, people living in other locations may appreciate the comparative tranquility of being away from the most popular tourist areas. Either way, buyers whose nets have not yet been cast away from the south may find just what they are looking for further north.