Britons are notoriously houseproud. However, many are even prouder of the neighbourhood in which they live — hence, the philosophy of many-a-buyer to purchase the worst home on the best street.
As a result, the location of the most exclusive streets in our neighbourhoods has long been a hotly disputed dinner party argument.
Now, The Times has the answer for you, whichever region of Britain you live in, with the help of data analysts from Rightmove.
To be considered for inclusion as the most expensive in any region, a street must have at least five properties advertised for sale — a measure designed to exclude those neighbourhoods that are inactive in the property market or may not have many residential properties.
Of course, sorted by price alone, London dominates the national list with 18 out of the top 20 streets. We’ve put that list at the bottom of the story, for reference. But to be representative of the country as a whole, our main list chronicles the priciest street in each individual region.
London
Most expensive street: Winnington Road, Hampstead/East Finchley, N2
Average house price: £11,906,522
A mansion on Winnington Road, north London, is on sale for £24.95 million with Beauchamp Estates
Winnington Road’s position at the top of the list is a reflection both of the unique attributes of this posh north London boulevard — which sits on the edge of Hampstead village, Hampstead Garden Suburb and East Finchley, but not truly in any of them — and the moribund market last year in the “traditional” super-rich hotspots of Belgravia and Knightsbridge, thanks to tax policies putting off super-rich international buyers.
This is a north London suburban street for the very wealthy: it is a few yards away from the Bishops Avenue but — unlike so-called “billionaires’ row” — it doesn’t contain flats, care homes and building sites. Instead it comprises very expensive properties owned by families who mostly live there permanently.
An illustration of what’s around can be found in a four-storey detached, gated 16,749 sq ft home with mock Roman pillars, 14m swimming pool, a spa with steam room, a gym and a six-car garage, which is on the market with Beauchamp Estates for £24.95 million. Another, with eight bedrooms at 10,086 sq ft, is on the market with Savills for a mere £15.5 million.
• The Bishops Avenue: from billionaires’ row to care home central
East Midlands
Burley Lane, Derby, DE22
Average house price: £1,264,990
Recently sold by Fine & Country, this six-bedroom house just off Burley Lane fetched £2.75 million
Burley Lane is in the upmarket village of Quarndon, three miles north of Derby. With proximity to desirable schools, a golf course, cricket club and local walks and splendid detached homes, it’s a road where several captains of industry live, as well as a smattering of footballers.
Greg Perrins, associate partner at Fine & Country in Derbyshire, says: “Offering an abundance of properties ranging from individual architect-designed properties, boutique gated developments and period properties, Burley Lane has properties for all tastes and is a popular choice for those looking for a large exclusive home. Its popularity is also reflective of its ability to command high prices, with the price per sq ft achieving in some cases 50 per cent above the average price per sq ft in Derbyshire for similar properties.”
One three-bedroom newly converted property, recently sold for £1 million with Fine & Country, is the ultimate party pad, with home cinema roowm, bar area, hot tub, and full external CCTV coverage.
East of England
Loom Lane, Radlett, Hertfordshire, WD7
Average house price: £4,372,000
This 8,000 sq ft house on Loom Lane in Radlett is on sale for £7.95 million with Hamptons
Situated near Watford and St Albans, Radlett was until 30 years ago a homely outer suburb in south Hertfordshire, but parts of it have subsequently undergone a staggering chichi conversion to prime footballer belt and the village is now filled with bougie delis and bakeries, grand houses and expensive boutiques.
Loom Lane, among several other roads, features bling-tastic gated new-build mansions which some residents feel are garish and out-of-kilter when compared to some of the old-fashioned original Victorian-era farmhouses down the road. One typical example, an 8,000 sq ft gated smart home on the market with Hamptons for £7.95 million, has an indoor pool, cinema room, gym, games room, and separate staff accommodation. The area is close to numerous desirable private schools, including Aldenham and Haberdashers’.
Northeast
Runnymede Road, Ponteland, NE20
Average house price: £1,848,846
This five-bedroom house on Runnymede Road in Ponteland is on sale for £2 million with Sanderson Young
LAWRENSON & GREBBY PHOTOGRAPHY
Ponteland, a village about eight miles from Newcastle city centre, was recently revealed in The Sunday Times to be the northeast’s supercar capital (131 luxury cars for every 1,000 house sales) — and so it’s little surprise it appears again here with the region’s premier street, Runnymede Road.
Amy Holford, of Finest Properties, which covers the area, says: “Runnymede Road is in the very popular area of Ponteland. A lot of footballers live around there, in Darras Hall. There are good schools, shops, leisure centre, cafés, restaurants, and walks, and it’s outside of but close to town, so has a rural feel without feeling totally disconnected.
“Newcastle airport is only a few minutes in the car too. The estates are very leafy and quiet. It’s a good move for anyone who wants to be close to the city without being in it.”
Northwest
Macclesfield Road, Alderley Edge, SK9
Average house price: £6,039,091
A five-bedroom home in Prestbury, Cheshire — a ten-minute drive from Alderley Edge — is available for £3.25 million with Jackson-Stops
ALEX REAY
Alderley Edge, prime footballer belt, has been nicknamed the “Knightsbridge of the north” with a reputation for fine dining, bling and supercars in its position in Cheshire’s golden triangle of wealth.
Famous residents over the years included the Beckhams, Cristiano Ronaldo and, currently, the Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland, while Coleen Rooney can regularly be found out shopping. The stream of Lamborghinis and Ferraris here has prompted a regular following on social media.
Macclesfield Road is one of the village’s most coveted locations, with mansions galore. Typical of the fare on offer is a six-bedroom, ten-bathroom mock manor house with a lift, leisure suite, and four-car garage, on the market for £12.5 million with Jackson-Stops.
Scotland
Manor Place, Edinburgh, EH3
Average house price: £820,385
A two-bedroom flat on Manor Place in Edinburgh is on the market for offers over £750,000 with Knight Frank
Manor Place is a classical terrace in the heart of the West End of the city, containing several townhouses in the shadow of St Mary’s Cathedral. It was designed in 1814 and then built between 1824-1825 by Robert Brown on land owned by Sir Patrick Walker.
The West End is one of Edinburgh’s most sought-after residential areas. It is characterised by its beautiful Georgian and Victorian terraces, wide streets and well-kept communal gardens.
Excellent shopping is located in the city centre, just a five-minute walk away. There are also smaller independent shops, boutiques, cafés, and delis on William Street, a short stroll away.
David Law, head of Strutt & Parker in Edinburgh, says: “Manor Place is known for its prime location close to the busy city centre. Dotted with pretty Georgian townhouses, it stands out from its neighbouring streets where many buildings remain in commercial use. Over the years, we’ve seen buildings here be converted back into full residential properties. Many apartments have attractive views onto the cathedral.”
“The buyers we see here can be a real mix. Wealthy families are drawn to the grander townhouses for their space and character, while young professionals snap up the apartments — often with the help of the bank of Mum and Dad. There’s also a strong interest from international buyers, particularly those who want a city base near to the city’s consulates. Prices reflect the desirability of the area and can range from £500,000 for a two-bedroom flat to around £2.5 million for a sizeable townhouse with garden.”
Southeast
Cavendish Road, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13
Average house price: £6,692,632
This six-bedroom doer-upper on Cavendish Road, Weybridge, is on sale for £3.95 million through Savills
Cavendish Road is one of Surrey’s most expensive streets, sitting in St George’s Hill, an ultra-exclusive gated community in Weybridge, Surrey, known for its mega-rich residents. Notable previous residents here include Tom Jones and John Lennon, and Chelsea footballers are split between addresses here and the nearby Wentworth Estate.
Amid this sea of bling, not all properties are pushing eight figures … if you can find a doer-upper. For example, Savills is selling a £3.95 million six-bedroom, three-floor detached 1930s house, which it euphemistically describes as a “blank canvas family home” sitting on 1.2 acres.
Or you could build your own: a 1.57 acre plot, cleared for planning consent, is on the market for £4.95 million. Add a few million on top for construction costs.
Southwest
Alington Road, Sandbanks, Poole, BH14
Average house price: £3,403,773
This mansion on Alington Road, Sandbanks, is on sale for £2.25 million with Tailor Made Estate Agency
Alington Road is just off the ultra-exclusive Sandbanks peninsula in Dorset, known for attracting the rich and famous thanks to its secluded location, spectacular harbour views and hotspots such as Rick Stein’s restaurant.
Savills is selling a £7.75 million “exceptional and timeless coastal residence” on Alington Road, stretching to over 7,000 sq ft including a gym, luxury pool and sauna along with views of Poole Harbour.
Wales
Hollybush Road, Cardiff, CF23
Average house price: £1,434,790
A four-bedroom detached house on Hollybush Road, Cardiff, is on sale for £1.1 million with Peter Alan
Wales’s most expensive road, Hollybush Road is in the neighbourhood of Cyncoed, one of the poshest parts of Cardiff.
Mike Watkins, of Mr and Mrs Clarke, an estate agency, points out that the street has a “wonderful mix of older homes with character alongside some impressive newer builds — many of which have swimming pools and are in the catchment area for Cardiff High School. The street has a lovely leafy feel, with mainly detached houses that give you plenty of privacy.”
Cyncoed has an elevated position with fantastic views over Cardiff and the mountains in the distance. James Thomas, of Savills Cardiff, says the area also has Cardiff golf club, “one of the finest golf courses in South Wales”.
West Midlands
Broad Lane, Tanworth-in-Arden, Solihull, B94
Average house price: £1,404,167
Beaumont Hill Farm on Broad Lane, in Tanworth-in- Arden, is on sale for £3.25 million with Knight Frank
Tanworth-in-Arden, a village of 3,000 eight miles from Solihull and 13 from Stratford-upon-Avon, is a significant beneficiary of the “race-for-space” during the Covid lockdown, when thousands of urban dwellers headed for the countryside.
Rural dwellers looking for a village lifestyle have the choice of two well-loved pubs, plus a traditional village green, a village store, and a 14th-century church. The 18-hole Ladbrook golf club is close, too.
Broad Lane contains spectacular properties, including a seven-bedroom 18,302 sq ft grade II listed home complete with outbuildings and land totalling 32.74 acres, on sale for £3.25 million with Knight Frank. Multimillionaires living here include businessmen who can get to London Marylebone from Warwick Parkway in 93 minutes, or Euston in 70 minutes from Birmingham International.
Yorkshire and the Humber
Main Street, Cherry Burton, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU17
Average house price £1,514,993
Cherry Burton Hall is on sale for £4.5 million jointly with Blue Book Agency and Hewetson and Johnson
This area, near the market town of Beverley, is renowned for its outstanding sprawling Georgian houses, many of which are grade II listed and more than 3,000 sq ft, with plenty of land including equestrian facilities.
The average values on Main Street are boosted significantly in Rightmove’s research by the listing of a magnificent ten-bedroom country house, Cherry Burton Hall, which is on the market for £4.5 million with Hewetson and Johnson and Blue Book Agency.
• An 18th-century manor with a living moss wall is for sale at £4.5 million
“The village benefits hugely from its proximity to Beverley, just a few miles away, one of the most closely treasured towns in Yorkshire,” says Hilary Pegrum from the estate agency Blenkin & Co. “This part of the East Riding has a number of hugely affluent villages — Lund, Walkington, Goodmanham and a Michelin-starred restaurant, the Pipe and Glass, at South Dalton.”
The 20 most expensive streets in the UK
• Winnington Road, Hampstead/East Finchley, London, N2: £11,906,522
• Lowndes Square, Belgravia, SW1X: £10,471,923
• Eaton Terrace, Knightsbridge, SW1W: £9,818,043
• Cadogan Place, Belgravia, SW1X: £9,582,143
• The Bishops Avenue, Hampstead Garden Suburb/East Finchley, N2: £8,960,000
• Knightsbridge, SW7: £8,549,412
• Sloane Gardens, Belgravia, SW1W: £8,329,545
• Hamilton Terrace, St John’s Wood, NW8: £7,554,042
• Cavendish Road, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13: £6,692,632
• Park Street, Mayfair, W1K: £6,599,333
• Portland Place, Marylebone, W1B: £6,563,409
• Princes Gate, Knightsbridge, SW7: £6,257,500
• Kensington Gore, South Kensington, SW7: £6,175,000
• Hyde Park Gardens, Bayswater, W2: £6,133,333
• Avenue Road, St John’s Wood, NW8: £6,121,506
• Redington Road, Hampstead, NW3: £6,120,714
• Macclesfield Road, Alderley Edge, SK9: £6,039,091
• Castelnau, Barnes, Richmond, SW13: £5,982,500
• Eaton Square, Belgravia, SW1W: £5,966,406
• Buckingham Gate, Westminster, SW1E: £5,517,811