Hundreds migrate to West Norfolk
Hundreds of people have migrated to West Norfolk from elsewhere in the UK, latest figures have revealed.
A recent study from conveyancing solicitors, Bird and Co, analysed June 2021 figures from the Office of National Statistics, the Land Registry and Rightmove, and it found that overall Norfolk was the second most popular country for attracting migrants.
It found that 7,181 people moved to Norfolk with 738 of them coming to the borough of West Norfolk.
The numbers moving to Norfolk was a 52 per cent higher than the previous year..
Norfolk's high rates of migration reaffirm a change in attitude from homeowners who are looking to escape the densely populated regions in favour of a more peaceful way of life.
Within each region, Bird and Co’s study breaks down the statistics by local authority and includes statistics on net internal migration, property transactions, average house prices and the average ages of people migrating to the region.
By district the newcomers broke down as: South Norfolk 2,345, Breckland 1,638, Broadland 1,525, North Norfolk 1,064, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk: 738.
Norwich had more people leaving the town than it did moving in, a rather surprising statistic until you consider its dense student population who were unable to attend the university during the pandemic.
The age brackets of people moving to Norfolk are mixed but mainly comprise of 20- to 24-year-olds and 50- to 55-year-olds.
Findings suggest the youngest migrants (15- to19-year-olds) tend to flock to areas such as Norwich, because of its university status.
On the contrary, middle-aged homeowners are moving to Great Yarmouth and Breckland, either to downsize or retire, and the eldest migrants (60-64-year-olds) are establishing themselves in North Norfolk.
Other than the home counties, Norfolk had the highest rates of home transactions among the top 10. Its total of 51,890 home transactions may seem relatively high, but with such a large inflow of people, residents living in Norfolk should expect to see a drastic increase in housing development schemes to cater for the high level of demand the migration brings.
Currently, the average house price in Norfolk is £295,997, a figure that is substantially lower than other counties. I
Daniel Chard, at Bird and Co, said: “Our research has been based on several reputable data sources, but is just a micro-study into some of the nation’s most sought-after locations. The research demonstrates some clear trends as well as throwing up a few surprises.
“With the housing market continuing to flourish after an unstable 2020, homeowners could really benefit from doing their own research to figure out if they’re happy to continue living in their region, despite a potentially huge influx.
“Similarly, landlords and investors may want to consider targeting new regions of the UK to boost profitability.”
