Premier League football teams 'boost nearby house prices' (From Chorley Citizen)

Premier League football teams 'boost nearby house prices'

10:09am Tuesday 16th August 2011

HOUSE prices near Premier League football grounds including Ewood Park have shot up in value over the past decade.

Homeowners with the same postcode area as a top-flight team saw prices rise by an average of 168 per cent to £353,408.

House values increased by 113 per cent over the past decade, according to Land Registry information accessed by mortgage lender Halifax.

Blackburn Rovers rank 14th in the ‘league table’, with a 109 per cent rise and a current average price of £118,508.

The biggest increase was near Manchester City's Etihad Stadium, which saw an average 350 per cent rise to £91,703.

The lowest was around Newcastle United's St James' Park, at 31 per cent to £144,774.

The most expensive average house price was £767,000 near Chelsea and Fulham, while the lowest was £70,461 for Liverpool and Everton.

Suren Thiru, Halifax housing economist, said the rises were associated with improvements to the areas that often accompanied stadium development.

He said: “House prices in the areas that are home to many of our major football venues have strengthened significantly over the past decade, reflecting in part the amenities commonly found in such locations, including good transport links.”