Homes dilemma

House prices in national parks

THERE IS a reason why homes in Britain’s national parks cost a third more than properties elsewhere – and that is because areas like the Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors and Peak District remain home to, frankly, unrivalled scenery.

Yet, while the findings by lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, are not revelatory, there exists every possibility that demand for houses will increase if more families decide that ‘working from home’ is the future.

As Jim Munday, a member of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, wrote in this newspaper recently, there’s potential for his area to become the place to live and work because of the quality of life on offer.

The consequence, however, could be rising house prices which, in turn, make it even harder for local residents, families who have been steeped in national parks for successive generations, to afford homes in the future.

However, while there are measures in place that are intended to encourage the provision of affordable homes, the evidence suggests that they’re not working as desired and do need to be reappraised.

And there will also have to be an acceptance that more homes will have to be built if rural communities are to become more sustainable in the future.

For, while it is illadvised and short-sighted to demonise second home owners who do, in fact, make a significant contribution to the rural economy, the provision of more houses for local families will make it easier to support key services, and amenities like schools, shops, post offices and pubs, which add so much to the allure of national parks.