Solihull is the second most expensive place outside of London and the south to buy a home, according to new figures.
The Halifax* says the town to the southeast of Birmingham has an average house price per square metre of 拢2,367 鈥 just below Altrincham in Cheshire which comes in at 拢2,446, easily above the national average of 拢2,033.
Warwick and Leamington came in third and fourth on the list of most expensive towns (outside the south), with figures of 拢2,363 and 拢2,353 per square metre.
It is no surprise that the priciest .
A square metre of housing 鈥 significantly less than the size of a small double bed 鈥 in Kensington and Chelsea fetches 拢11,635.
To put that into perspective, that is more than an acre of 海角视频 farmland cost to buy last year, which hit a record high at 拢10,067.
Westminster, the seat of Government and site of Royal coronations, only commands 拢9,751 a square metre, while the boho borough of Camden has an average price of 拢8,829.
Will Marshall-Murray, of Solihull-based Fine and Country, which markets some of the town鈥檚 most prestigious homes, said he was surprised Solihull鈥檚 figure was only just over 拢2,300, as he had seen deals where houses had sold for well over 拢7,000 a square metre.
鈥淭hat is getting to London prices and there were a couple of them actually. There were quite a few that achieved over 拢5,000. Generally for really nice properties in Solihull you are looking at about 拢4,000 per square metre.
鈥淭he reasons for that is that some of the villages 鈥 Knowle, Lapworth, Tanworth-in-Arden 鈥 are just beautiful. You鈥檝e got the Warwickshire countryside. You are far enough from Birmingham to pop in and then get away from it, and London is just an hour or so away, so it is brilliantly convenient.鈥
Another reason for Solihull鈥檚 pricey popularity is, he says, down to stellar performances by some local schools.
鈥淚f you are looking on a road by road basis, per square metre 鈥 and that is down to Tudor Grange Academy.
鈥淚t is graded outstanding in all of Ofsted鈥檚 criteria. It is one of the first questions people ask 鈥 鈥業s it in the Tudor Grange catchment area?鈥. It is very academic and kids get great results.
鈥淚t is the same with the Arden School in Knowle. The prices per square metre for houses in that catchment area are probably even higher than houses near Tudor Grange as Knowle commands a little bit more because it is semi-rural. You are moments away from the countryside.
鈥淧eople do genuinely have the debate with themselves. Should they send their children to private school or spend an extra 拢100,000 鈥 basically the fees over the school lifetime 鈥 on a house in the Tudor Grange or Arden catchment where they are getting as good an education.鈥
All of the priciest roads in Solihull are in the catchment area for or have access to excellent schools.
Top of the list is Alderbrook Road. Next is Hampton Lane, Silhill Hall Road, Broadoaks Road and Ashleigh Road, which are all convenient for Solihull School, an independent day school. Brueton Avenue, Park Avenue and Blytheway are bookended by St Martin鈥檚 Girls School, another independent day school, and Solihull School,
* Halifax made its calculations by looking at average , and dividing these by typical property sizes, to get the average price per metre squared.
The six most expensive houses for sale in Solihull
(details from )
Chessetts House and The Paddocks, Chessetts Wood Road, Lapworth - Offers in excess of 拢2,950,000
Two houses in one. This includes Chessetts House, a five-bedroom Edwardian residence, and a modern detached house, The Paddocks, offering four bedrooms.
It comes with six acres of land.
* John Shepherd 01564 783866;
Mountford Lodge, Church Lane, Lapworth 鈥 拢1,995,000
A substantially improved and enhanced four-bedroom home in 2.29 acres which includes stables and a fishing lake. It comes with a separate two-bedroom cottage and a one-bedroom flat above the garage.
* Fine and Country 0121 746 6400;
Ledbrook Farm, Hob Lane, Barston 鈥 拢1,950,000
A contemporary six-bedroom detached home with open plan kitchen/dining/family room at its heart. It has a self-contained pied-a-terre with bedroom and home office/gym. Situated in attractive gardens/ground of nine acres that include a lake with fishing hut.
* Knight Frank 01789 297 735;
Park Corner House, Chadwick Lane, Knowle - 拢1,850,000
Charmingly presented country residence in an area where the Knights Templar used to have their deer park. Originally dating from the 1800s, Park Corner House was modified in the 1920s and extended and renovated over the last 12 years. It has five bedrooms, sits in 15.6 acres and has a stable block, paddocks and pasture land.
* John Shepherd 01564 783866;
Jerrings Hall Farm Estate, Tanworth Lane, Solihull 鈥 拢1,750,000
A Grade II listed farm that has stood on this site since the 16th century. It was preceded by a moated, timber-framed property, some of which was used to build Jerrings Hall. It was owned by the Field family for four centuries. Improved and extended over the years, it has six bedrooms, a barn/leisure complex and cottage and a one/two-bedroom cottage. It comes with three acres of land.
* John Shepherd 01564 783866;
Alderbrook Road, Solihull - 拢1,700,000
A seven-bedroom modern detached. This is being built as part of an exclusive gated development by Romford Homes. The houses will have high spec interiors with underfloor heating throughout, oak staircases and doors, Siematic kitchens, Porcelanosa bathrooms and automated lighting control systems.
* Fine and Country 0121 746 6400;
