Is it really greener and cheaper in the north?

LONDONERS are swapping Dick Whittington for Dick Turpin. Fed up with streets paved with gold, they are heading north in search of lower property prices and a better quality of life.

New statistics from the Office for National Statistics show that 110,000 people left London in 2003, and more than 35,000 of them - an unprecedented number - ended up in the north.

The largest group of leavers was families seeking better schools, security and community life in the provinces. While in previous years these families generally opted to stay in the south-east, the statistics show they are now heading north.

John Waterhouse, a director at Hunters estate agents in York, said they had a healthy list of families from the south looking for properties.

"Moving out of London and into Yorkshire is very much a family trend," he said. "Schools are a big issue. The schools in York are all very good and a couple of the comprehensives are noticeably high in the league tables. It's probably no surprise that a lot of incoming families want a property in the Fulford or Huntington area."

money is also a major factor. The average house price in London is £266,000. The equivalent house in York would set you back £180,000.

"People want to downsize financially," said John. "One of their priorities is to wipe out their mortgage altogether. They can do that if they move north because they basically get about 30 per cent more house for their money."

Young professional people want to live in the city. They want entertainment, shops, nightlife and their workplace within easy walking distance. Families, however, don't tend to want to swap one city for another. They want to move to the country.

"People have an idyllic image of the house they want," said John. "They want the chocolate box image of Yorkshire. And, to be honest, if they live in a good part of London and sell their house for a decent price, they can afford to have their dream."

Northern parts of the county, particularly the dales and moors, are popular with incomers. The east is also high on their wish list, most notably the prettier villages around Bridlington. But this doesn't mean they are willing to do a long daily commute.

"People in London regularly travel two hours to work, " said John. "That's four wasted hours a day. They don't want that to be part of their new life. They want a rural retreat and still be at their desk in less than an hour.

"Yes, they want a lot. But if they can afford it, why not?"

Barry Potter, vice-chairman of York Natural Environment Trust, made the great journey north in 1974, when he swapped Eltham, in south-east London, for York and a job as a senior lecturer at Askham Bryan College.

So, was it the rolling acres of North Yorkshire and the chance to live a greener life that tempted him away from the capital?

"If I'm honest, I have to say I had easier access to green spaces when I was in London than I do here," he said. "London is incredibly well served with parks, open spaces and preserved woodland. Londoners might not know it, but in terms of public open spaces they are very well off.

"It is a very different story here in York. If we have an open space we tend to build on it. Logic dictates that more and more people moving here from the south are only going to make that situation worse."

When National Parks were first introduced in the late 1940s, the first chairman of the Countryside Commission said that without great care "people would ultimately destroy that which they had come to enjoy". Barry believes this can be applied to his adopted city.

"York is basically full," he said. "York Environment Forum has been pressing the city council for a long time to undertake an environment capacity study to discover what the city can take without damaging its urban and rural environment. Nothing has been done.

"York has no unemployment, but the council cannot resist trumpeting the city to attract new businesses and new jobs. If you create the jobs, you need to fill them. If everyone has a job, you need inward migrants to fill the positions. They, of course, need somewhere to live. Then we're back again to building on our dwindling supply of open spaces.

"The council should stop promoting the city to inward migrants, it should stop handing out Yorkie bars on the platforms of London stations, and let things go quiet for a while instead."

Some might argue that, as an incomer, Barry has exacerbated the problem himself. So, would he consider moving back to London?

"That's a difficult one!" he said. "I can honestly say that living in York has been the most frustrating experience I have ever had. But that is only because I know how great it could be. It's a city with great potential, but it's led by people with little vision.

"Because we have such beautiful historic buildings, successive councils have never really felt the need to improve the general environment. They get very excited about providing us with a new shop, but not about providing accessible open spaces.

"If people are moving north for a greener, cleaner life, York probably isn't for them. They would be better off staying put."

Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh stays put in London for four days a week, migrating at weekends to her home just north of Thirsk. But is she enjoying the best of both worlds, or enduring the worst?

"I live in London, but I don't enjoy the benefits as I rarely venture far out of the Westminster village," she said. "I miss the fresh air when I'm down here, and just being able to get out of the house for a good walk. Obviously work puts a heavy restriction on my time when I'm in London, but even if I could get out for a walk I don't think the air would be particularly fresh.

"We might have high winds and a lot of fog in my part of Yorkshire, but at least it's fresh, windy, foggy air!"

Anne believes people are drawn to Yorkshire because they think it will provide them with a higher quality of life. She also believes they are right.

"I'm not sure it's that much cheaper any more to move north," she said, "but I think quality of life issues still make it an attractive option.

"North Yorkshire has an excellent local education authority and this is reflected in its schools.

"I think when people have children their priorities change. A move to Yorkshire and the obvious advantages of your children attending a good school, being able to afford a house with a garden and having the countryside right on your doorstep become increasingly attractive. Unfortunately, these things are just not available in London."

So, when the time comes, where will she choose to live full-time: London or North Yorkshire?

"I have no plans to settle in London," said Anne. "That has never been on the agenda. I can see myself happily settled in the north though. It might be a few degrees colder up there, but that's a very small price to pay."

The average house price in London is £266,000. What will that buy you in North Yorkshire?

Old Parish Hall, Main Street, Bubwith - £250,000

Dating back to the 1860s, this converted property has three bedrooms, four reception rooms, three bathrooms and a spanking new kitchen.

60 Dringthorpe Road, Dringhouses, York - £249,950

This three-bedroom family house offers more than 1,000 square feet of living space and a decent-sized back garden.

Honeysuckle Cottage, Main Street, Bilbrough - £269,950

Yes, it's in a lovely village to the west of York. Yes, it is surprisingly spacious, offering three bedrooms (all doubles). And it's in the catchment area for Tadcaster Grammar School.

7 Hall Court, Kelfield - £265,000

Four bedrooms, two bathrooms and open, rural views in a quiet cul-de-sac. Oh, and you can easily commute to York or Leeds if the green open spaces get too much for you.

Updated: 09:07 Thursday, December 22, 2005