Reasons to be cheerful ...in Chesterfield
TOWN TOPS ‘HAPPINESS INDEX’ FOR EAST THE MIDLANDS
CHESTERFIELD has a lot going for it – the historic market, the Peak District National Park on its doorstep and, of course, the world-famous Crooked Spire church.
Now the Derbyshire town has something else to shout about.
It has been named the happiest place to live in the East Midlands, and is also one of the happiest places in Great Britain.
That is according to estate agent Rightmove’s annual Happy at Home index.
The North Derbyshire town beat off competition from the likes of Loughborough, Nottingham, Derby, Lincoln and Mansfield to take the prize for the region. It also was named the 68th happiest place to live in Great Britain.
The Happiness Index, now in its tenth year, asked 21,000 people throughout the British Isles how they feel about where they live, as well as asking them to rank ten happiness factors.
These questions included asking whether people felt a sense of belonging; were people in their town polite and friendly; whether the area has nature and green space and whether there is a real sense of community spirit.
Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s director of property data, said: “It’s been an incredibly busy year in the housing market, with a lot of people deciding that now is the right time to move.
“It is fascinating to see that people who moved in the last 12 months were more likely to be happy in their areas than those who did not.
“Whether it may be a couple looking for a small change in the same area, tenants looking for more space, or a family completely changing their lifestyle and moving from the city to the coast, this has been the year that people have really seized the opportunity to move, and turned ideas into action.”
In Chesterfield, the average house price currently stands at £206,734 – up nine per cent in 2020 and 16% when compared with 2018.
A Rightmove survey in October this year also showed that more people are looking at Chesterfield as a place to move to, with data showing a jump in the number of commuters relocating to the town.
Reacting to that survey, Peter Swallow, chair of Destination Chesterfield, was not surprised by the findings. He said: “We have long known and appreciated the town’s connectivity. It is this which has been fundamental in the borough attracting more than £1 billion worth of construction projects which are currently under way.
“Chesterfield’s mainline rail station serves the town well.
“As Sheffield house prices have increased to a level which challenges affordability, the market in Chesterfield, being just 10 miles away by train from the UK’s fourth largest city, is benefiting.
“Having this station puts London St Pancras just one hour and 50 minutes away, and Nottingham just 40 minutes away, which is ideal for commuters.
“The reality of this is you can get to central London by rail from Chesterfield in the same amount of time it takes someone to commute from 30 miles away.
“Demand for housing is strong, particularly close to the railway station.
“At Avant Homes’ Waterside Quarter development, at Chesterfield Waterside, buyers are attracted by the fact they don’t need a car to live there as the train station is on their doorstep.
“This benefits everyone, not least Chesterfield Borough Council’s drive to become carbon neutral.”
Overall across the whole of Great Britain, Hexham in Northumberland came out as the happiest place to live, followed by Richmond upon Thames in Greater London, with Harrogate in Yorkshire rounding out the top three.
We have long known and appreciated the town’s connectivity.
Peter Swallow