Ilkley named among the country’s top house price hotspots for commuters

Ilkley has been ranked seventh in the list, with an average house price of £404,994, which has produced a 8.52 per cent rise in house prices over the last 12 months.

Meanwhile, neighbouring town Bingley is in tenth place, with an average house price of £231,536, which has produced a 7.91 per cent rise in house prices over the last year, according to the study by property website Zoopla.

Although both district towns appear in the list for their proximity to Leeds, it is their closer ties to Bradford which have been highlighted by the area’s MPs and business bosses.

Keighley and Ilkley MP John Grogan says Ilkley’s seventh place shows the town has continued appeal to people already on the property market.

He said: “There are two sides to the coin; it is good news for anyone lucky enough to own a house in Ilkley, but possibly not for people trying to get onto the property market there.

“Ilkley has excellent railway connections into Leeds and Bradford.

“This survey does reflect the quality of life in Ilkley, as clearly it is seen as one of the most desirable places to live in West Yorkshire.”

The finding’s have also been seen as a boost for Bingley, which is viewed as a town on the up.

Shipley MP Philip Davies said: “Bingley is very much on the up. It is going to continue to grow.

“We all want to see the whole economy doing well across the whole of the Bradford district.”

Plans for a Lidl supermarket on the former Bradford & Bingley site, in Bingley town centre, will also add further to the town’s appeal.

The Zoopla survey found Swanley in Kent, which is closest to London, has the highest increase across the country, with an average house price of £375,066, for a 10.78 per cent rise. This is followed by Dursley in Gloucestershire, near Bristol, with £297,581, for a 9.71 per cent rise. In third is Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, near Birmingham, with £301,384, for a 9.61 per cent increase.