Tories well out in front of Labour in the property stakes
- Average house prices in Conservative areas 53% higher than Labour -
14th Apr 2010
- Property values in Tory constituencies £89,500 higher than Labour on average
- Average house prices in Tory constituencies £257,500 vs. £168,000 for Labour
- Lib Dem seats show highest growth in property values over the past 5 years
- Gordon Brown's own constituency amongst the lowest property values in UK
Research released today from property website Zoopla.co.uk shows the Conservative party as the clear winner in the British property value stakes. Average house prices in Tory-controlled areas now stand at £257,518, followed by Lib Dem constituencies where the average home is worth £228,880, whilst Labour comes in a distant third at £168,112, with property values in areas under their control at almost 20% below the national average.
The Zoopla.co.uk research also reveals that Labour-controlled constituencies have experienced the lowest gains in property values since they came to power in 1997, with house price growth in areas under their control up 177% over the 13 year period compared to 179% in Tory areas and an impressive 190% in areas under Lib Dem control.
As for the party leaders own constituencies, the average property value in Gordon Brown's Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat is £120,910, well below both the average for his party and the national average. Average property prices in Witney, the Oxfordshire seat of David Cameron, stand at almost 2.5 times that figure at £289,686, well above the national average (£209,101) whilst in Nick Clegg's Sheffield Hallam constituency, the average home would set you back £219,136.
In terms of the total current value of residential property located in areas controlled by each party, the Tories and Labour come out almost exactly neck and neck at £1.9 trillion each, despite Labour's significant advantage of 11.7m homes in areas under their control compared to only 7.2m homes in Conservative areas. The total value of the 2.2m homes in areas under the control of the Liberal Democrats stands at £0.5 trillion.
Nicholas Leeming of Zoopla.co.uk, commented: "The election outcome may be unclear for now, but it is clear that the Tories rule in the property stakes with average property values in their constituencies significantly above those in Labour controlled areas. Interestingly, despite the fact that there are far fewer homes in areas under their control today, the Tories still have an equal share of the UK's property wealth, due largely to their strong presence in affluent rural areas and the south east of England in particular."
Average property values in each party's constituencies
| Party | Avg. Value (Apr '10) |
% Change since last election (May '05) |
Avg. value when Labour came to power (May '97) |
| Conservatives | £257,518 | 7.82% | £92,392 |
| Liberal Democrat | £228,880 | 10.24% | £78,813 |
| Labour | £168,112 | 7.99% | £60,567 |
Source: Zoopla.co.uk
Average property values in each leader's constituency
| Leader | Avg. Value (Apr '10) |
% Change since last election (May '05) |
Avg. value when Labour came to power (May '97) |
| Cameron | £289,686 | 12.30% | £98,756 |
| Clegg | £219,136 | 5.14% | £79,857 |
| Brown | £120,910 | 18.57% | £38,691 |
Source: Zoopla.co.uk
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For further information, please contact PR Team on pr@zoopla.co.uk or +44 (0)20 3873 8770.
Notes to editors
About Zoopla.co.uk
Zoopla.co.uk is the UK's most comprehensive property website, focused on empowering consumers with the resources they need to make better-informed property decisions. We help our users make sense of the residential property market by combining property listings with market value data, local information and community tools.
Zoopla.co.uk was founded on the principles of transparency and efficiency and everything we do aims to make the market more effective for both property consumers and professionals alike. By combining free, instant value estimates for every UK home with sold prices, local market information and hundreds of thousands of properties available for sale and to rent, Zoopla.co.uk has rapidly become the ultimate destination for property consumers to search for property and do their market research. Our unique features allow users to gain an insight into the market and discover information they won't find anywhere else. And, as a result, we have become one of the most valued sources of both applicant and vendor leads for UK estate agents.
Launched in 2008, we are the fastest growing property website in the UK, now attracting over 12 million visits per month and are proud to have been awarded numerous accolades including being listed in the Top 10 UK Tech Companies (Guardian) and the Top 10 Most Innovative UK Companies (Smarta 100) as well as being voted the UK's Best Property Portal (Web User, Daily Mail Awards, Website of the Year).
Zoopla Limited is a privately held company with a highly experienced and proven management team, led by Founder and CEO, Alex Chesterman, and backed by well-respected angel investors and leading venture capital firms Atlas Venture (atlasventure.com) and Octopus Ventures (octopusventures.com).