Andrew Harvey, of Nationwide, said: “National parks are highly desirable areas to live in thanks to the beautiful countryside. Those living in the parks are ideally placed to make the most of the great outdoors and take advantage of a range of activities and amenities.”
Nigel Bishop, of buying agency Recoco Property Search, added: “There is a certain allure and level of exclusivity to owning a home in a national park. Local authorities often have strict rules in place that control new developments being built, which results in limited numbers of properties available for sale.”
This created a “sellers’ market”, particularly if the properties are listed buildings with historic interest, Mr Bishop said.
Some 116,200 people live in the South Downs national park. House values there were markedly more expensive than similar houses in Hampshire and Sussex, at an average of £485,000.
The premium also extended beyond the perimeter of these national parks. Houses within 5km commanded a 6pc premium compared with those outside this range.
