This £1.4m house in Wetherby could be the perfect home for a Leeds United player

Wetherby and the adjoining village of Linton have always been a magnet for professional footballers and other top sportsmen and women but now there is confirmation that interest in the area has been given a substantial boost by Leeds United’s return to the Premier League.

Estate agents predicted a rise in the number of players looking to rent or buy in this sought-after location when the club’s place in the top flight was confirmed in July and their forecast has proved correct. Bigger salaries and fresh blood, along with Stamp Duty savings until March 31, 2021, have all contributed to a desire to live in or around the pretty market town.

The location scores highly thanks to its close proximity to the club’s training ground at Thorp Arch and the half-hour drive to the Elland Road ground. That is just one of the reasons why Leeds United’s manager Marcelo Bielsa chooses to live in Wetherby.

Paul Baxter, head of Dacre, Son & Hartley’s Wetherby office, says: “The road links here are fantastic because you can access the A1M, M1 and M62 very quickly and Wetherby is a lovely market town with a strong community, a great feel and lots of independent shops.

"It has always been popular with top sports people, including footballers, rugby league players and cricketers, but we have now started to see the added effect of the success at Elland Road in the sales and rental market. We have had a number of dealings with players and members of the management team now Leeds United is back at the top.”

Football contracts can be short and unpredictable, which is why some in the game prefer to rent.

“Overseas players in particular prefer to rent and there is a shortage of luxury rental properties for that reason. If we have a property to let for £2,000 or more a month then we get an immediate response but some players still want to buy because they have strong Yorkshire roots,” says Paul.

Whether renting or buying, Premier League players want a luxury home with a large garage/parking area, dressing room and contemporary decor. Meadowbank on Shaw Bank Lane, Wetherby, which is on the market for £1.4m, certainly fits that bill.

It is in a private spot just off Linton Road, within walking distance of Wetherby Golf Club, open countryside and the town centre. Colin and Sarah Hall bought the property five years ago when they returned from working in South Africa.

“We decided to look in Yorkshire and we could have chosen anywhere but we came to view this house and we liked that it is private and in its own little oasis and we loved that it is walking distance from Wetherby with its wonderful independent shops and places to eat,” says Sarah.

The location and setting were so compelling, the Halls bought the property even though the layout was not to their liking. As it was originally destined to be their forever home, they launched into a no-expense-spared redesign with the help of Rik Smith of Ilkley-based Design Emporium.

The whole property has been re-wired and re-plumbed and the latest CAT 7 cabling installed, along with a smart home system that allows the audio, lighting, security and heating to be controlled at the touch of a button or remotely via a smartphone.

Colin and Sarah also had the kitchen relocated into what was the garden room and installed bi-fold doors that deliver light, views and access onto a terrace overlooking the grounds. The kitchen has bespoke cabinets, underfloor heating and an Aga and opens into the old kitchen area, which has been transformed into a dining area and snug.

“All the cabinetry throughout the house is bespoke by HMP joinery in Sheffield and the feature I am most proud of is the staircase,” says Colin.

Crafted from solid oak with a glass balustrade, it is the focal point of the reception hall, which also has an under stairs bookcase, guest cloakroom and a huge glazed wall. The latter allows light and views between the hall and the snug. “We even lowered the snug window to ensure a straight line of sight into the garden,” says Colin.

The ground floor also has a large sitting room, family room and home office. Upstairs, two double en-suite bedrooms were combined to create one enormous master suite with a dressing room and en-suite. The remaining two double bedrooms and their ensuites were also given a major makeover.

Sarah and Colin have furnished the house with design classics including sofas from Ligne Roset and furniture from B&B Italia bought from Rankin Styles in Altrincham The decor is largely neutral with the Halls collection of art as the star on the walls.

Outside, they added a carport leading to a purpose-built utility room and have invested heavily in the garden. They commissioned fresh landscaping, the conversion of the summerhouse into a gym and bought 25ft-high mature trees. They also planted hundreds of perennials, including 250 David Austin roses.

The couple are selling to move closer to an elderly relative. “It was never our intention to leave this house. We have thoroughly enjoyed living here and will miss it but, unexpectedly, we now need to be near family,” says Sarah.

Paul Baxter, from Dacre, Son & Hartley, adds: “So much care and attention has been paid to this property inside and out and with an ideal location, it’s a great buy.”

Meadowbank is on the market with Dacre Son and Hartley, tel: 01937 586177, www.dacres.co.uk.

*Wetherby is the most expensive market town in Yorkshire. It was the only place in the region to make it into the Lloyds Bank table of top ten English market towns commanding the highest house price premiums. Wetherby featured at number five after researchers found that property values there are 86 per cent higher than the Yorkshire average. The average house price in Wetherby is £347,760 and climbing.