UK house prices: Cambridge and Orkney see the biggest average price growth across the UK

New figures reveal the districts where house price growth outperformed the rest of the UK last year.
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Lizzie Rivera21 February 2018

Property prices in Cambridge have risen by £63,000 in a year, according to the first detailed report on how much homes sold for in 2017.

Annual house price growth of 15 per cent takes the average price of a home in the university town and surrounding areas to £462,000.

Meanwhile, with prices across the UK rising by five per cent to average £227,000, the pace of growth in Cambridge is three times higher than the national average, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) report.

Last year, the government committed to a £7 billion investment programme in the city which is set to bring new roads, rail links and homes between Cambridge and Oxford.

“There is lots of talk about the Oxford-Cambridge corridor becoming England’s own Silicon Valley. Faster rail links for London workers is music to many home owner’s ears as the exodus from London continues,” says Michael Houlden, head of national estate agency at Strutt & Parker in Cambridge.

He reports that the proportion of buyers from London in the area rose by 60 per cent last year.

£475,000: this three-bedroom detached house is between Cambridge North and Cambridge stations with easy access to the A14

THE UK'S TOP 10 FASTEST RISING LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN TERMS OF HOUSE PRICE GROWTH:

Local authorities Av. house price Dec 2017 Av. house price Dec 2016 Av. growth
Orkney Islands £146,842 £124,256 18.20%
Cambridge £462,033 £399,330 15.70%
Eden £206,713 £179,676 15.00%
West Dunbartonshire £109,293 £95,081 14.90%
Kettering £203,237 £178,200 14.00%
Cotswold £394,405 £346,150 13.90%
North Norfolk £258,580 £227,473 13.70%
Oadby and Wigston £215,417 £189,806 13.50%
Forest Heath £223,407 £199,385 12.00%
Dover £246,887 £220,776 11.80%
       

ENGLAND

Other areas with double-digit growth were Eden, just outside of the Lake District National Park, where an average house now costs £206,000; Kettering in Northamptonshire with average prices of £203,000; and the Cotswolds in south-central England.

An average of £48,000 was added to Cotswolds residences over the course of 12 months, taking the average price to £394,000 in December last year.

For this price, buyers seeking their own slice of Cotswolds charm can stretch their budget to a three-bedroom house with exposed beams and an Inglenook fireplace.

£400,000: this Grade II-listed, three-bedroom house is in the historic hamlet of Churchend.

“The Cotswolds remained a firm hotspot last year as it continued to attract strong levels of demand from buyers looking for a change of pace and lifestyle,” says William Leschallas, director of Jackson-Stops’ Burford branch.

Widely regarded for its beautiful countryside and picturesque villages, the area is proving popular with young professionals commuting to Cheltenham, Bristol and Bath, Birmingham and Oxford, as well as families and downsizers.

“We expect demand to continue over the coming years, but whether or not supply can keep pace is yet to be seen. There are a number of larger property schemes in the planning system on the edge of major Cotswold towns, which may appeal more to local buyers who wish to remain in the area as their needs change,” says Mark Johnson, residential development partner at Knight Frank.

SCOTLAND

Homeowners in The Orkney Islands, off the north-east coast of Scotland, saw the biggest growth in percentage terms, with average prices rising by £23,000 (18.2 per cent) to reach £147,000.

For this, home owners can buy a dreamy two-bedroom house with sea and farmland views.

£155,000: a two-bedroom house in Orkney

“The romanticism of a secluded island life, coupled with an affordable price tag, has no doubt made the islands impervious to the negative market influences of the mainland. Although it is also likely that the Orkney Islands' explosive growth is no doubt a tad skewed to a smaller sample size than most other areas of the UK,” says founder of Emoov Russell Quirk.

There are also generous grants available to businesses setting up in the area, which will be attractive to qualifying entrepreneurs.

Scotland's West Dunbartonshire also made it in to the top five performing areas in terms of house price growth. With an average house price of just £109,000, it is nearly £20,000 cheaper than nearby Glasgow and nearly £70,000 cheaper than Stirling, boosting its appeal.

WALES

Newport was the standout area in Wales for price growth, with homes selling for an average of £168,000. However, growth of 9.6 per cent puts the region outside of the UK's top 20 performing areas.

£169,950: a semi-detached three-bedroom home for sale in Newport

“Over the last few years, Scotland and Wales have seen property prices fall due to influences other than the wider uncertainty surrounding our departure from the EU.

"Both countries are home to pockets that have seen a drastic decline in the local property market, as the result of diminishing industries which have previously been pivotal to the local populace and economy,” says Quirk.

“However, with a much lower cost of getting on the ladder than the majority of regions in England, both have benefited from a greater degree of buyer and seller confidence, which has returned at a much quicker rate than other more inflated markets.”