Properties located within Britain’s National Parks command a 25% (£66,700) premium on average compared with similar homes elsewhere.
That’s the claims from the Nationwide Building Society, which says there also continues to be evidence of a ‘fringe benefit’ for properties located close to National Parks. Those within three miles of a National Park command a 7% premium compared with those outside of this range.
Nationwide also found the premium attached to national park living was not only due to the great outdoors factor but also to restrictions on new housing developments within the borders of parks.
Andrew Harvey, Nationwide’s senior economist, says: “National Parks continue to be highly desirable areas to live in thanks to the beautiful countryside. Those living in such areas are ideally placed to make the most of the great outdoors and take advantage of a range of activities and amenities. Development is also controlled with limited new housing construction, which also helps to explain why house prices tend to be relatively high.”
The New Forest is the most expensive National Park to buy into while South Downs has highest population.
| National Park | Land Area (km2) | Population living in park | Average house price |
| New Forest | 570 | 34,400 | £576,000 |
| South Downs | 1,624 | 115,100 | £400,000 |
| Peak District | 1,437 | 35,900 | £375,000 |
| Yorkshire Dales | 2.179 | 23,200 | £353,000 |
| Lake District | 2,362 | 38,800 | £333,000 |
| Dartmoor | 953 | 34,400 | £310,000 |
| Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) | 1,344 | 33,600 | £274,000 |
| Eryri (Snowdonia) | 2,176 | 24,200 | £173,000 |
Source: Nationwide, ONS, National Parks UK
The New Forest remains the most expensive National Park in which to purchase a property, with an average price of £576,000. Villages within the park include Ashurst, Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst.
The South Downs has the highest resident population of any of the National Parks at 115,100. The park includes a number of sought-after towns in Hampshire and Sussex such as Petersfield, Liss, Midhurst and Petworth.
The Lake District is the UK’s most visited National Park, with an estimated 18.1 million visitors per year, and is also the largest of the 13 National Parks in England Wales. The main towns include tourist hotspots such as Ambleside, Bowness-on-Windermere and Keswick.
National Parks cover 20% of the land area in Wales, the highest proportion of the home nations, with the largest, Eryri (Snowdonia), covering 2,176 square kilometres.
Meanwhile in Scotland, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs are the most visited National Park, with 50% of Scotland’s population living within an hour’s drive.
The Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), also known as National Landscapes, in England and Wales have been designated for conservation due to their significant landscape value. They vary greater in terms of size, type and use of land. AONBs cover 15% of England’s land area and are home to over one million people.
While not as well known as National Parks, these are desirable places to live and as such tend to see relatively high house prices. The table below shows average house prices in a selection of the largest AONBs.
| Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty | Land Area (km2) | Average house price |
| Surrey Hills | 422 | £610,000 |
| Chilterns | 833 | £570,000 |
| North Wessex Downs | 1,730 | £415,000 |
| Cotswolds | 2,038 | £401,000 |
| High Weald | 1,450 | £390,000 |
| Kent Downs | 878 | £365,000 |
| Dorset | 1,129 | £323,000 |
Source: Nationwide, ONS, NAAONB
Surrey Hills is the most expensive AONB in which to purchase property, with average prices of £610,000. The AONB was designated in 1958 and covers a quarter of the county of Surrey. Around 40,000 people live in the Surrey Hills AONB, mostly in small villages and rural hamlets, such as Shere, Mickleham and Westhumble.
The Chilterns AONB runs from the picturesque Goring-on-Thames up through parts of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. A popular area for walking, the hills and woodlands provide striking landscapes and are also home to some highly desirable villages.
The Cotswolds is the UK’s largest AONB, stretching from North-East Somerset to South Warwickshire. Some of the main towns include Tetbury, Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold. As well as being a popular tourist destination, the Cotswolds central location and good rail accessibility also attracts commuters.
The North Wessex Downs is another area which is popular with commuters, taking in sought after market towns Marlborough and Hungerford.
Dorset AONB covers just over 40% of the county of Dorset, stretching from Lyme Regis to Poole Harbour and inland as far as Blandford Forum. The coastal part of the AONB is a highly popular tourist area and sees high levels of second homeownership.