The East Midlands. Home to Sherwood Forest, Lincoln Cathedral, Alton Towers, and the UK’s biggest freight airport: East Midlands Airport. It’s also a region burgeoning with industry, jobs and development. We take a look at why it’s a winner for new-build homes plus explore some of the new home developments that are available. Find out more…
What makes the East Midlands so popular with developers?
There are a few factors why the East Midlands appeals to new home developers. For starters, the region has a strong, robust, diverse economy. The employment record in the region is very healthy too; there’s a high number of jobs and a higher than average number of people in employment.
One of the key factors for East Midlands’ housebuilding success is the availability of undeveloped land. The region has more of it compared to other areas of the UK, allowing for more opportunities for land acquisition. And according to government figures, as at 31 March 2023, the East Midlands region had one of the lowest percentages of land designated as Green Belt in the country at 4.9%. Compare this to the rest of England as a whole, which has around 12.6% of land designated as Green Belt.
The region is also very well connected, offering excellent transport links with major motorways and A roads, rail networks, and of course, international airports.
Together, all these factors make the East Midlands region an attractive destination for developers.
Brownfield sites to be turned into homes
In August this year, the East Midlands Combined County Authority confirmed that following a cash boost from the government’s Brownfield Housing Fund, dozens of schemes across the East Midlands are set to be built. The schemes and their locations have been identified and will cover Derby, Nottingham, Chesterfield, and Newark & Sherwood to name a few. In partnership with Homes England, the housing developments will amount to around 1,500 new homes across the region.
What do house prices in the East Midlands look like?
With the uplift in development across the East Midlands, how do house prices compare with other areas of the country? Well, looking at data from September 2023 – August 2024 shared by Plumpot, the average property price in the East Midlands region is £255k. That’s a slight decline of around 3% over the last twelve months, in line with property prices tailing off nationally due to high mortgage rates and increased cost of living. When you compare these average prices to the average property price in England and Wales, which is £346k, property prices in the Easy Midlands are a little more desirable.
In fact, with the average price of a property at £255k, it ranks the East Midlands fifth out of the ten regions across the country. The North West and Wales are only slightly cheaper with average property prices of £230k and £226k respectively, for the same period.
Housebuilders looking for success in the East Midlands
As we’ve mentioned, there’s lots of housebuilding activity planned for the East Midlands region with both affordable and private housing on the agenda. And with that we are seeing housebuilders gear up for a slice of the action in the area.
At the end of last year, David Wilson Homes announced they had completed the construction of 678 homes on various developments across the region, in the financial year from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023. And by doing so they had supported 1,818 jobs in the region. They confirmed a continuation of their efforts across the region for 2024.
Housebuilder Allison Homes confirmed at the start of this year, that they had appointed three new senior team members to boost the housebuilder’s presence in the East Midlands region. Working out of the Allison Homes East Midlands offices in Castle Donington, these included a Land Manager, Commercial Manager and Head of Technical respectively
Our top 5 new home developments in the East Midlands
With plenty of new homes in the East Midlands to choose from, we’ve whittled down a selection of must-see new developments from different areas across the region, all of which can be found on our website.
Kedleston Grange Phase 2 from Miller Homes in Allestree, Derby
Situated close to the Derbyshire countryside, with easy access into Derby itself, Phase 2 of the Kedleston Grange development from Miller Homes is in the desirable suburb of Allestree. The area, a few miles north of Derby centre has excellent primary and secondary schools to choose from, while also being the home of Derby University. Perfect for families, as well as downsizers, the selection of 3 and 4-bedroom homes on the development are stylish and energy-efficient.
This is the Eaton, a 3-bedroom detached property at Kedleston Grange. It’s as practical as it is stylish with a laundry room, downstairs WC and the main bedroom coming with an en suite. To see more properties at Kedleston Grange in Allestree, click here.
Cotchett Village in Mickleover, Derbyshire from Avant Homes
Two miles west of Derbyshire and with the Derbyshire countryside close by, lies the village of Mickleover. A popular location with house buyers, the village has a lot to offer from its great selection of shops, pubs and businesses to its vibrant, friendly community. Cotchett Village is ideal for commuters and families alike, where a relaxing countryside setting is combined with easy access to Derby.
The Horbury is a 4-bed detached home from Avant Homes, offering modern, contemporary living for all. To the ground floor there is a lovely ‘snug’ room which can be used as a playroom or home office, while the large open-plan kitchen-dining space features modern integrated appliances and a space for the family to come together to dine, as well as French doors leading to the garden. There’s a very handy dedicated utility room on the ground floor too, which also offers a useful additional outside door. Find out more about The Horbury and the other properties available at Cotchett Village in Mickleover here.
Mary’s Meadow in Blackfordby in the National Forest from Owl Homes
Made up of 91, two, three and four-bedroom homes, Mary’s Meadow offers something for everyone. And it’s in a charming, rural village location, with Blackfordby being situated in the National Forest, surrounded by beautiful Leicestershire countryside. While Blackfordby offers a busy village hall with activities for the community, a primary school and local pub, neighbouring Woodville is where more amenities can be found, including a doctor’s surgery, library, post office, garden centre and more. It’s the perfect location for families to call home, with many schools nearby.
Homes at Mary’s Meadow include those with 2-bedrooms, making ideal starter homes. Each home comes with its own dedicated parking, irrespective of the property size. And with excellent transport links nearby, it’s the perfect location for those commuting further afield.Don’t miss out on a modern, new home at Mary’s Meadow from Owl Homes. Take a look at the development here.
Elm Tree Park development in Rainworth, Mansfield from David Wilson Homes
You’ll find the Elm Tree Park development from David Wilson Homes nestled in the heart of the Nottinghamshire countryside in Rainford, with plenty of country parks and woodland to explore. The popular village of Rainford offers a wealth of amenities, from good schools to shops and eateries. Located a few miles south of Mansfield, Elm Tree Park is ideally situated for effortless commuting to both Mansfield and Nottingham. And homes on the development offer something for all, from smaller 2-bedroom properties ideal for first-time buyers, to larger 4-bedroom family homes.
Start looking for your dream new home in Nottinghamshire by exploring the Elm Tree Park development here.
Newton Park from Taylor Wimpey at Handley Chase in Sleaford, Lincolnshire
Homes on the Newton Park development form part of the wider brand-new community at Handley Chase in semi-rural south Lincolnshire where 235 high-quality homes are being built. Situated on the south side of the market town of Sleaford, residents of Newton Park will benefit from rural surroundings with easy access to the town with its many shops, restaurants, schools and museums. Sleaford also has its own railway station with links to Peterborough, Nottingham and Doncaster. Meanwhile the A17 and A15 offer easy access to Lincoln and Grantham.
Homes at Handley Chase from Taylor Wimpey are modern in their design and build and include a range of 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms, ideal for first-time buyers, larger families and downsizers.Why not take a look for yourself – you can find out what’s available here.
The East Midlands encompasses a vast area including Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, most of Lincolnshire, and Rutland. And the good news is that there are plenty of new build homes being built in these areas too. To get started looking for your ideal new-build property, use our handy search tool. Simply type the town or postcode you hope to buy in or near, and we’ll show you all the new homes available by distance. Start your search right here.
