Almost a Third of Properties in Major UK Towns Lack Outdoor Space

Almost a third of properties found in major UK towns and cities have no outdoor space, according to new research by online estate agent Housesimple.

The research sought to discover which urban areas had the greatest amount of greenery, finding that there were indeed wide disparities up and down the country. This comes after researchers found gardens and other outdoor spaces were one of the top things new buyers look for in a home, when considering a move.

This reflects the trend of homebuyers seeking properties with some access to greenery, whether it be in the form of parks, gardens or other such spaces.

Grimsby is greenest

The town of Grimsby was dubbed the greenest of all major towns surveyed by Housesimple, with as many as 90.7 per cent of properties up for sale reported as having a garden. Salford was reported as the least green town, with just 38.9 per cent of properties for sale having green space.

London was in the bottom five, with 60.8 per cent of properties being considered green space-friendly, according to Housesimple. Bexley stood out as the greenest of the London boroughs, with green space to be found in 85.7 per cent of properties up for sale.

Islington came bottom of the list in the capital – only 29.9 per cent were considered to have outdoor space.

Outdoor spaces squeezed out

Sam Mitchell, CEO of Housesimple, commented on the findings, saying: “The back garden isn’t on its last legs, but the relentless pursuit of profit has seen outside space sacrificed, particularly in densely-populated areas.”

He explained: “Developers are building upwards to squeeze every pound of profit out of a plot of land, and gardens take up valuable square footage. Something has to give.”

Mr Mitchell reflected on the enduring attraction of owning properties with outdoor space. He concluded: “If a large garden is top of your wish list, search for older properties in areas that are well-established. Many period properties have beautiful, mature gardens…it will be worth the extra expense if it’s on a large expanse of land.”