Award-winning Huddersfield developer hails “boom town” status

The news that Huddersfield boasts the fastest rising house prices in the UK has been endorsed by an award-winning residential property developer, based in the West Yorkshire town.

According to mortgage provider Halifax, the Huddersfield area is a “house price hotspot”, where the average property has risen in value by just under nine per cent during the past 12 months.

Paul Brown, managing director of Yorkshire Country Properties, said that the Halifax report came as no surprise.

He commented: “Huddersfield, and the picturesque villages which surround the town, tick so many boxes. Houses here offer superb value for money, bearing in mind their excellent location, their beautiful surroundings and their first-class facilities. What a magnificent combination of factors.

“The lifestyle offering is unbeatable. Together with attractive country walks and historic pubs, there are also quality schools, thriving independent shops and a lively social scene. What’s more, it’s within easy reach of Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield, with city life on your doorstep, without paying a city’s higher property premiums.

Located in the foothills of the Pennines, Huddersfield is perhaps best known for its stunning scenery and quaint outlying villages – the perfect setting for television classics like Last of The Summer Wine and Where The Heart Is.

Paul continued: “In the past, Huddersfield has had the reputation of being a small northern town, famous for being the birthplace of Rugby League and the home of Harold Wilson and Patrick Stewart. But it’s now acknowledged as being much more than this.

“It boasts a panoramic landscape of beautiful scenery with rolling hills, Pennine views and historical landmarks. Each village within a 15-mile radius of the town has its own identity with hidden gems to explore, great communities to be part of and unique places to eat and drink.”

Paul Brown, whose company won two major honours at the prestigious WhatHouse? Awards in December, explained: “At the same time as this tremendous news about house prices in the Huddersfield area, comes more positivity about the housing market across the UK, driven by a stability in interest rates and a fall in inflation.”

Sam McGregor, head of sales at Yorkshire Country Properties, continued: “At Yorkshire Country Properties, this has now resulted in an increase in enquiry levels, especially in the over £450,000 house price sector. Already this year we have taken two new reservations at our development at Skelmanthorpe, near Huddersfield.

“This positivity is also being reflected in the increase in the number of visits to our Experience Hub at our Shepley development, compared to this time last year, which is extremely encouraging. All our Phase 1 homes at Shepley will now be ready to move into by the end of next month, which marks the conclusion of a development of which we are extremely proud.

“It is so important to remember that all parts of the new homes market aren’t in decline, despite what some pessimists might say. Our starter homes initiative at our three sites in Shepley, Skelmanthorpe and Denby Dale has been incredibly successful with first-time buyers keen to stop paying high rents and to climb on to the property ladder for the first time. There is also strong evidence to suggest that demand for well-built attractive family homes, correctly priced, remains healthy and should gather pace during the next 12 months.

“At Yorkshire Country Properties, we have been buoyed by recognition in a range of awards in 2023, winning two major honours in the WhatHouse? awards and being shortlisted in the Yorkshire Post Real Estate and the Yorkshire Business Insider Property awards for our developments at Shepley, Skelmanthorpe and Denby Dale.

“This recognition has meant a tremendous amount to our hard-working team and given us the confidence to progress two prestigious new West Yorkshire developments, one at Grange Moor, Kirklees, and the other in the very popular Huddersfield postcode of HD9. Yes, 2023 was tough, but these mortgage rate cuts are just the boost the housing market needs.”