Property in England’s National Parks

Thinking of getting an independent buyers agent to carry out a property search in a National Park? Following the 1947 Hobhouse Report, the first ten National Parks were established and gifted to the nation in the 1950s.  Development inside the parks is strictly controlled, so ask your buyers agent about the implications of restrictions, as Section 157 of the Housing Act will apply in some cases. 

National Parks offer some of the best quality of life in England – ask your Recoco property finder. City dwellers, may, however, take a little time to adjust to some aspects such as transport links and the sometimes intermittent or slow broadband and WiFi (or even phone signal).

Your real estate buyers agent can confirm many National Parks are within or classed as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). Pre-pandemic, as your Recoco buying agent can tell you, homes inside a National Park typically attracted a premium of 22%, compared with the local area – check with our independent buyers agent.

South East England

South Downs

Your property search company can tell you that the gentle green contours of the South Downs National Park are of particular appeal to celebrities seeking discreet homes near London, as your buyers agent can confirm. Lewes and Chichester are particularly sought-after, as is Haslemere – ask your real estate buyers agent about the excellent rail links.

Your property search company can help you explore the borders with Hampshire and towards Lewes, or more expensive properties towards Goodwood, Chilgrove to the Mardens, and South Hartings. Other property search options include Elsted and Compton, and our Recoco buying agent might also suggest Lurgashall, Lodsworth, and Lickfold.

Your Recoco property finder will gladly outline options for leisure pursuits, including sailing, polo, and private members clubs. The South Downs is the most populated National Park, and the local planning authority is a gold mine of useful information.  

New Forest

From coastal Lymington to Lyndhurst in the heart of the forest, the New Forest became a National Park on March 1, 2005. Ask your Recoco property finder about major towns – including Fordingbridge, Ringwood, Brockenhurst, Minstead, Beaulieu, and Exbury. Larger towns and cities nearby are Bournemouth, Southampton, and Portsmouth.

The area is popular with walkers, cyclists, photographers, horse riding and sailing enthusiasts, and families. Ask your real estate buyers agent to help you uncover the rules covering any property that might catch your eye. The Planning Authority issues a super-helpful design guide.   

New Forest authorities take conservation very seriously, while your buyers agent can attest the New Forest is the most expensive English National Park.

The West Country

Further south and west, as our independent buyers agent can confirm, landscapes become more rugged and remote.

Dartmoor

 Dartmoor’s wildness is likely to appeal to a property buyer seeking absolute peace and quiet. Just 34,000 people live here, and buying property in some towns may come under Devon Restrictions (S157 Restrictive Covenants). Towns in this category include Kingsbridge, Salcombe, Thurlestone, Hope Cove, Bigbury, Ugborough, South Milton, Honiton, Chudleigh, Budleigh Salterton and Axminster.

Where should you look, if your property search brings you here? The nearest major cities are Plymouth and Exeter; your property search company can also help you target larger towns and villages such as Chagford, Drewsteignton, Moretonhampstead, Okehampton, and Tavistock, with Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, and Ivybridge on the borders, while Princetown is the highest village on Dartmoor.

A Devon Restriction means a property buyer may only buy if they have worked and/or lived in Devon for the three years immediately preceding a sale. For some local authorities, it’s enough to have lived and/or worked in the area for seven years in total out of the previous twenty – each authority is different as is each property, so checking the current rules is advisable.

 Dartmoor National Park was designated as a National Park in 1951. Its known for its wild, open moorlands and quirky folklore, prehistoric dolmens and unexplained tors; determined ponies; and stunning countryside. Ask your Recoco buying agent about leisure activities like hiking, horse riding, and other outdoor pursuits.

Exmoor

 Exmoor, along the north Somerset/Devon coastline from Dunster to Ilfracombe, has an altogether gentler atmosphere than Dartmoor. There are old-style resorts and attractive villages to explore like Lynton and Lynmouth, and the area is typically very popular with the kind of property buyer who enjoys equestrian pursuits, sailing, walking, and taking time to enjoy the landscape and the starscape. The nearest large towns are Taunton and Barnstaple.

 A Local Plan for Exmoor National Park was adopted in July 2017, and the planning authority keeps a close eye on developments, aiming to allow development within the boundaries while keeping the area special.  

Honourable Mentions

 The other English National Parks are Northumberland, the North York Moors, the Lake District, the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, and the Broads.