From the creation of green spaces and new developments to the construction of impressive, improved transport services, and with so many regeneration projects going on across the country, it’s interesting to speculate what many of these areas will look like in just a few years’ time.
As professional buying agents and advising people wishing to buy and rent in the South and South-East of England, we can use our own knowledge and experience of a couple of these popular locations that people want to relocate to.
You would also be surprised to know that some clients even ask us to recommend areas that they should consider moving to, what are the up-and-coming places to live in the South-East based on their budget, other comparative prices, local investment, and recent trends.
The UK residential property market is comprised of numerous segments, each continually fluctuating and dependent on multiple factors such as investment, migration, infrastructure, regeneration projects, company’s relocating into an area and therefore impact on employment and so on. You can read more on how to spot up and coming areas in our recently published blog.
Reading & Bracknell, West Berkshire
Believe it or not Reading isn’t just a commuter haven on the M4 corridor, you can get to London in 30 minutes or onto the M4 motorway network in minutes; it has so much more to offer. Reading has experienced exponential growth over recent years, with several developments planned for 2023, there are no signs of this growth to slow down.
One of the best-connected towns in the UK, Reading has excellent transport links. The town has recently become the western terminus of CrossRail, has an award-winning bus service, is connected to all major London airports, and sits conveniently on the M4 corridor.
Reading has attracted some huge corporate businesses to its business parks as they too recognise the benefits and efforts that the Government and Local Authorities/councils have done to make Reading an appealing place to work and live.
These include an upcoming regeneration in the town centre that is to include a new market square and live theatre event, a major construction project, Station Hill, due to be completed sometime in 2024, the construction of over 1,300 new homes, 625,000 square feet of offices, and a 95,000 square feet lifestyle-led space for retail, restaurants, and cafes.
On the periphery of Reading there is some incredible countryside, the River Thames flows through the centre of the town and River Kennet have some stunning beauty spots, and there are an abundance of open spaces to explore.
Education is having a huge impact on this area too and it is becoming one of the largest technological hubs outside of London, probably due to its connectivity.
Trowbridge, Wiltshire
Trowbridge features rich heritage, peaceful open spaces and a buzzing town centre with restaurants, cafes, and boutiques. Trowbridge also benefits from beautiful Georgian and Victorian architecture.
The town has a rich history, from being one of the 23 ‘Magna Carta’ towns, through to its involvement as a prominent mill town, eventually producing cloth which was sought after across the world. It is also the birthplace of Isaac Pitman, inventor of the world-famous shorthand system, and in the 1940s, contributed to the war effort as a location for building the legendary Spitfire fighter. Trowbridge is also the ideal location for exploring Wiltshire, due to its central position within the county, and with nearby Stonehenge, Bath and Bristol easily reached.
The neighbouring towns of Frome, Corsham, and Melksham, underwent huge resurgence in recent years – becoming the bustling home of quaint coffee shops, independent cafes, and a range of bars.
While Trowbridge has never been at the top of peoples desired areas to live, the town and area has become more appealing due to its excellent transport links, with regular trains taking less than 20/25 minutes to Bath and Bristol, and five minutes to Bradford on Avon. There are also direct trains available to London, Swindon, Gloucester, Portsmouth, Cardiff, and even Brighton. Plus, the M4 motorway is just around the corner.
Despite this, house prices in Trowbridge remain well below the average of neighbouring areas of Bath, Bradford on Avon, and the historic villages of Holt, Hilperton, and Steeple Ashton.
Godalming and the Surrey Hills
The Surrey Hills stretches across a quarter of the county of Surrey, that run from Farnham in the west along to Guildford, Dorking, Reigate and on to Oxted in the east. Godalming is regarded as an affluent area to live, the town is built on the banks of the River Wey and is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt.
Godalming is supremely popular with families for its excellent education, convenient transport links, and many recreational activities. For those that want to travel to London, Godalming strikes a perfect balance between a peaceful country village and a happening market town.
The Surrey Hills offer some of south east England’s most beautiful and accessible countryside. Famous beauty spots include Box Hill, Leith Hill, and the Devil’s Punch Bowl. You will discover an extensive footpath network, open commons, inspiring views, attractive market towns, villages and much more.
Let us help you find your perfect property, we often know about unique finds before they are on the market and can help you be one step ahead of the competition. Call Nigel Sellers 01962 793 100 or email enquiries@premier-propertysearch.co.uk
