Exclusive: Price to pay as stars home in on property hot spot

Premier League footballers, captains of industry and pop stars have all expressed a desire to snap up exclusive properties in the national park, which continues to be one of the most expensive postcodes in Yorkshire.

The North York Moors remains one of the most accessible of the national parks in England and Wales as it is close to both the North East and cities including York and Leeds, while still offering the chance to live in some of the country's most idyllic countryside.

Among the multi-millionaires who have bought homes in the national park are rock star Chris Rea – although he has since sold the property – as well as Middlesbrough Football Club's chairman, Steve Gibson.

It is understood that footballers from clubs in the North East as well as wealthy entrepreneurs from across the North have also looked to purchase properties in the national park.

The interest in some of the most exclusive homes has inflated prices along the property chain, heightening fears over the availability of affordable housing.

The average house price in the North York Moors National Park is in excess of 250,000 – nearly 100,000 more than the average 153,000 cost of a property in the Yorkshire region.

House prices in the national park rose by 0.28 per cent during the last financial year, while figures for the rest of the region showed a drop of 1.5 per cent.

The North York Moors National Park Authority's director of planning, Chris France, said: "The issue of affordable housing has been going on for decades, but it is now as important as ever.

"While there have been some successes in addressing the problem with recent policies which have been introduced, it is an issue which will not go away.

"The North York Moors is a wonderful place to live and we want as many people as possible to enjoy it, but at the same time we need to keep a very close check on development within the national park. That is the big dilemma we face."

One of the biggest concerns is that while property prices remain high, wages in the national park are below the national average.

The Ryedale district, part of which falls within the national park, has some of the best exam results in the country but is losing its most gifted young people because of low wages.

Research has revealed that the area is being hit by a "brain drain" of talented students because of poorly paid employment and a lack of career opportunities; Ryedale's population in the 15 to 24 age group is the lowest in England at nine per cent.

New planning policies were adopted two years ago to address the critical shortage of affordable housing, although some of the regulations have yet to kick in because of the economic slump.

Plans to ensure that at least half of all housing developments include affordable homes have had to be put on hold as the construction industry was badly hit during the recession.

Only 15 affordable homes were provided across the national park during the last financial year.

Planning officials hope that the figure will increase significantly as the economy recovers, with affordable housing schemes already earmarked for Hinderwell, Glaisdale and Thornton-le-Dale.

Policies are in place to ensure that new houses in villages and small settlements are only made available to people who have lived in the national park for at least three years.

Home to people, heather and history

Founded on November 28, 1952, the North York Moors National Park has become one of the most visited locations in the region – as well as one of the most desirable places to live.

It attracts more than 6.3m visitors every year and about 25,000 people live within the national park, which covers an area of 554 square miles and has 26 miles of coastline.

It contains the largest expanse of heather moorland in England and Wales and is internationally renowned as a haven for ground nesting birds. It is also a European Special Protection Area for merlin and golden plover.

Woodland and forests cover more than a fifth of the national park and it has one of the largest concentrations of ancient and veteran trees in northern England.

There are more than 700 Scheduled Monuments in the North York Moors and about 3,000 listed buildings.

Almost a third of the Scheduled Monuments for the Yorkshire and Humber region can be found within the boundaries of the North York Moors National Park.