Strutt & Parker’s research shows growing trend in desire to move to rural locations

The world might seem focused on urbanisation, but over the past three years of its Housing Futures research, Strutt & Parker has seen the emergence of a new creeping trend in housing – the desire to move back to amenity-rich, rural locations.

Its latest survey identifies four factors that are shaping this village revival:

•           21% of survey respondents who are moving home said that they wanted to live in a village, making it easily the most popular type of location, compared to 14% for a market town and only 12% for either a big city or a suburb.

•           Broadband and mobile connections are essential to rural life. Access to broadband was a key factor for 49% of those intending to move to a village, while 38% highlighted mobile connectivity.

•           There was a significant increase in respondents looking for rental accommodation. 10% of those wanting to move to a village would live in a professionally managed private rental unit, up from 1% in 2013.

•           Ease of access is an important issue for respondents intending to move to a village, with 60% wanting to be able to walk to shops, 48% to local transport and 45% to medical facilities.

Stephanie McMahon, Head of Research at Strutt & Parker, said: “The UK might seem to be focused on urbanisation but we believe a new, overlooked trend is set to shape Britain’s housing market over the coming decades – the desire to move back to rural.

“Existing research would suggest cities have the upper hand over villages - by the mid-century there will be approximately 65 million people living in Britain’s cities, compared to just 8 million in rural areas. However, as the urban trend has gathered pace in the UK, a number of negative traits have begun to appear such as a rise in inadequate housing provision, urban sprawl and increased pollution.”

“In our latest research, 21% of respondents who are moving home said they wanted to live in a village. The shift away from cities is being driven by people looking for neighbourhood safety (86%), and space between neighbours (58%), as well as for a strong community feel (48%).”

According to DEFRA, in 2013/14, the UK saw net internal migration of 60,000 people to predominantly rural areas in England. It is a trend that has been positive every year since 2001. But this reverse migration is not to a traditional rural environment. The influence that technology is having on shopping, communications and working habits is helping to transform villages and the type of people who want to live in them.

Guy Robinson, Head of Estate Agency at Strutt & Parker, said: “The rural economy accounts for £210 billion of economic output and a key element of driving future growth, jobs and prosperity is access to technology and communications infrastructure. Over 25% of all registered businesses are in rural areas, according to DEFRA, and they are thriving. Growth sectors include hi-tech manufacturing, food processing, the service sector, retail and power supply (in the form of renewables).”

George Burnand of Strutt & Parker in Winchester said: “Some of the most highly sought-after locations in our patch are in villages, for example Easton and Sparsholt. We have noticed more and more homebuyers considering properties in more rural locations compared to urban areas. The expansion of broadband and mobile communications means that more people don’t work a 5 day working week in the office anymore. It seems that the same factors that once drove urbanisation – improving economic and social conditions – are now inspiring the village revival.”

To download the report, ‘Housing Futures: The Village Revival’, visit: www.struttandparker.com/housingfutures