Property The unlikely winners of the pandemic housing boom

Sales have soared in new hotspots as Londoners who seek more space embrace areas previously deemed too far or too unfashionable, writes Arabella Youens South Somerset Wychavon, Worcs

The pandemic has shifted priorities dramatically. Property buyers are now after more space and greater value for money, opening up parts of the countryside previously off-radar or deemed too inaccessible or uncool.

As a result, a new axis of sometimes unlikely hotspots has emerged, where sales have soared in the past year, according to estate agency Savills.

This area, which takes in an arc from South Somerset through Bristol and up to Worcester and the Malvern Hills, at the intersection of the West Country and the south Midlands, has had a frenzied property market since restrictions were lifted last May after lockdown.

Researchers analysed the districts that recorded the largest uptick yearon-year in sales of £1m-plus houses from June 2020 to February 2021. To find those more hidden, but still very popular, markets, they removed those that registered more than 200 of such sales (areas that are established and have a high turnover of prime property).

Lindsay Cuthill of Savills said: “It’s the result of buyers pushing a further 30 or so minutes beyond the boundaries that used to be the limit of those looking for a rural base, but who needed to be within easy reach of London.

“It’s opening up parts of the countryside that were undervalued because they were too far or deemed too unfashionable.”

Popular areas are those likely to appeal to space- starved Londoners with young children. Figures from Savills showed that so- called “Covid evacuees” now account for 46pc of those looking in the country, up from a fifth in 2017. Those with young families are making the move as buyers below the age of 40 now make up one third of the client base, up from 23pc in 2018.

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AGENT Jackson-Stops few days per week. Mark Astley of Jackson- Stops in Chichester highlighted the fishing village of Emsworth as well as Warblington and Fareham. “These areas have become popular with more affluent buyers due to the range of good sailing and golf clubs, as well as a selection of quality restaurants,” he said.

Chichester, with its Festival Theatre and Georgian architecture, is on the doorstep. Yet for anyone in search of a coastal property, houses on Hayling Island offer better value for money than the trendy harbourside villages of Bosham and Itchenor. According to figures from Rightmove, the average house price on Hayling Island is £466,332, against £930,303 in Bosham.

This area’s popularity comes as little surprise, with the rise and rise of the small town of Bruton, dubbed Notting-Hill-meets-Somerset.

South Somerset was experiencing a property boom even before the Covid exodus began, according to Jo Henry of Jess Simpson Property Search, a buying agency. “It’s far enough from London to feel like an escape but still offers access to life’s little luxuries for those who want them.” These include socialising at the Newt estate and the Old Pharmacy, a deli by day, wine bar by night.

But it’s not all about Bruton. Agents cite Castle Cary (“Cary” to the locals) and Wincanton as strong contenders. “All the while you will be surrounded by period properties built from the beautiful local soft yellow stone,” said Ms Henry.