Posted 5 November 2015 by
Keith OsborneEach week we visit a different part of the country to discover what is happening in the local property market. This week we visit Chester.
This affluent, walled city in Cheshire, is officially the best place to live in the UK, according to this year’s UK Hot Housing Index. It is therefore perhaps not surprising that demand for housing in Chester is currently rising faster than anywhere else in the UK.
The Index, compiled in September by location specialists CACI, takes into account places that offer good value for money, local employment levels, internet connectivity, school provision and local amenities, with Chester securing an overall score of 75.7%.
The survey said of Chester: “It sits in a very affluent part of the country and is relatively close to larger cities, such as Liverpool, also boosting its appeal as a commuter destination for young professionals. These affluent, young individuals are particularly drawn to the quality of the retail and leisure offer within Chester, which scores very highly on the level of amenities and high levels of employment.”
A separate survey has named Chester in the top five happiest places to live in Britain, while a price comparison study said it was among the 10 best-value cities for a getaway.
The latest quarterly survey by estate agent eMoov, which tracks supply and demand in the most populated locations in the UK, found that Chester has seen demand increase by a staggering 164% over the past 12 months – more than anywhere else in the UK.
“As property demand in the area increases, house prices are likely to follow,” says founder of eMoov Russell Quirk. “Over the last six months the average house price in Chester has increased by about £3,000.”
According to the latest Land Registry data, residential property prices in Chester rose by 0.2% in September, leaving them 2.1% higher than the same month last year at an average of £158,963.
Notable hotspots within the city are the “eternally popular” Queens Park and Curzon Park, according to Savills Chester director Charlie Kannreuther. He also highlights Hoole, a suburb in the east of Chester, and Dee Hills Park as areas attracting greater attention from homebuyers “because of the Waitrose effect”.
He comments: “Demand for quality property in Chester has certainly grown strongly over the last two years.”
Search for new homes in and around Chester.
New homes in Chester
The recent launch of the Northern Gateway Development Zone, a landmark partnership scheme designed to spearhead economic growth in the local region, will see thousands of new homes built in and around Chester by 2040. But what’s being developed now?
Redrow Homes is currently developing a wide selection of new homes in Chester, including Farndon Meadow in Farndon, which offers large houses, with prices starting from £424,995.
Wepre Green in Connah’s Quay, which is being constructed by David Wilson Homes, offers a selection of detached houses – prices start from £168,495.
Bloor Homes is developing a delightful range of four-bedroom detached houses in Broughton, Flintshire, at Parc Jasmin, just seven miles from Chester city centre – prices start from £309,995.
An exclusive, purpose-built development off 33 retirement apartments in a secure environment with a number of communal facilities is being built by Churchill Retirement Living in Eaton Lodge, Hoole Lane, with prices starting at £204,995.
Meanwhile, Sanctuary Maintenance has just completed a £1.3m housing development in Lache featuring a mix of 13 homes for rent and shared ownership.
Looking ahead, Cheshire-based Gladman Developments Ltd has submitted an outline planning application to Melton Council to build 520 new homes on three fields off the A607 Leicester Road, north of Kirby Lane.
Search a comprehensive list of new homes in and around Chester.