The Cost of Gardens Across The UK

The Cost of Gardens Across The UK
Discover the most and least affordable gardens across the UK. We look into the cost per metre squared of gardens up and down the UK.

In recent years the housing market has seen an increase in the demand for gardens [1], with many of us wanting an outdoor space for relaxing and entertaining during the pandemic. Likewise, house prices have also hit an all-time high [2], with green spaces reaching the top of buyers' shopping lists. 

Not only are gardens great for entertaining during the warmer months, but gardening has also been proven to support  mental health. A recent study found that  93% of people [3] found gardening sessions had improved their confidence and motivation, illustrating the many benefits of having access to your own outdoor space. 

However, with such discrepancies between house prices across the UK, who is paying the most for their outdoor space? Researchers here at The Grass People have decided to find out… 


The Most Affordable Locations 

A map showing the most affordable gardens per metre squared across the UK.

According to our data, the area in the UK that is paying the least for their garden is Telford. The average cost per metre squared (m2) totals just £376, with an average garden size of 495 metres. This is followed by Hull where the cost per m2 is £379 and Sheffield where the cost per m2 is £393. 

If you’re looking to pay less for your outdoor space then the North is where you should head as five out of the ten most affordable locations are all in the north of the UK. 

Southern Bristol appears in the most affordable locations, with residents paying on average £471 per m2 for their garden. The average garden size is 783m2 in Bristol, more than 100m bigger than the other most affordable locations.


The Least Affordable Locations 

A map showing the least affordable gardens per metre squared across the UK.

On the other end of the spectrum, a large portion of the most expensive gardens in the UK are unsurprisingly in the South, where house prices are typically higher than average [4]. 

Those living in London are paying on average £2,348 per m2 of their outdoor space. Londoners are also the least likely to have access to private outdoor space as every London borough has more homes without gardens than with [4]. 

The research also found that York is the third most expensive city to have a garden, costing on average £1936 per m2. Those living in York also have the second smallest gardens out of the ten most expensive locations with an average garden size of only 157m2. 


Houses v Flats: Who is paying the most for their outdoor space? 

As reports [5] have revealed that the price of flats has risen more than houses, researchers wanted to see whose outdoor space costs the most between houses and flats. 

Typically, those who own houses are paying more per square metre for their garden, with homeowners in Slough paying on average £2,002, 185% more than those who own flats in the same area. 

Brighton is the only area where residents in flats are paying more (£2142 per m2) than those who own a house (£1993 per m2) it also has the smallest difference between property types at just 6% (£149) 

From the 50 locations researched, it was revealed that the average m2 of a garden for a house is £1,526 compared to £737 for flat owners. Interestingly, when comparing the average size of the outdoor space for both types of properties, flats were found to have the larger gardens of the two (235m2 vs 212m2) 


Methodology 

To work out the average cost per m2, The Grass People researched the average price per property type (flat, semi-detached house, detached house, and terrace) in the UK for the 50 most populated cities in the UK. 

The Grass People gathered the average garden size through an ONS report [6] and worked out how much each region is paying for their outdoor space by dividing the house price by the average size of gardens for each region. 

Data can be found here.  


Sources

  1. https://www.rics.org/uk/news-insight/latest-news/press/press-releases/new-buyers-looking-for-outside-areas-and-green-spaces-as-interest-in-new-homes-revives/
  2. House prices rise as gardens or proximity to green space top the shopping list for buyers
  3. https://www.thrive.org.uk/how-we-help/what-we-do/why-gardening-is-good-for-our-health/why-gardening-is-good-for-your-mental-wellbeing#:~:text=Research%20in%20Sweden*%2C%20for%20example,symptoms%20of%20depression%20and%20anxiety.
  4. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-house-price-index-reports
  5. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/07/race-for-space-could-be-over-as-flat-prices-rise-more-than-houses
  6. Access to gardens and public green space in Great Britain - Office for National Statistics