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Wind farms knock eight per cent off average home value, property experts reveal
Credit: By Alice Philipson | Telegraph | 31 Oct 2013 | www.telegraph.co.uk ~~
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Estate agents say controversial wind farms can reduce the value of nearby homes by up to eight per cent
Property experts said the controversial structures, which campaigners say are a blight on the British landscape, can reduce the value of homes by up to eight per cent.
In August The Daily Telegraph reported that, according to coalition sources, a secret report into the impact of wind farms on rural house prices is being blocked by officials at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) amid fears it will conclude that turbines harm property prices.
Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat energy secretary, had denied that anyone in his department is trying to suppress the report.
Dozens of influential figures including politicians and celebrities have spoken out against wind farms.
Last year author Bill Bryson said they would damage the landscape of Britain for “at least a generation”.
Record numbers of onshore wind farms have been approved for construction this year, with planning permission given for 188 new onshore wind farms between the beginning of January and the end of August – a 49 per cent increase on the same period in 2012.
Philip Selway, a partner at The Buying Solution, which helps people find homes in both London and the countryside, said wind farms could knock tens thousands of pounds off the value of a home.
“Although they are not as universally hated as things like electricity pylons, which are an absolute no-no for buyers, they can be a big negative for many people,” he said.
“They can probably knock eight per cent off the value of a home.”
The average price of a house in the UK – £242,415 – would fall to around £223,000 if a wind farm were to be built nearby.
Mr Selway also revealed other features likely to have a negative impact on a property’s value.
They include a motorway or A-road next-door which can cause a 20 per cent reduction or anti-social neighbours which can cause a 10 per cent reduction.
MPs have argued for months that wind farms are likely to affect property prices.
Chris Heaton-Harris, the Conservative MP for Daventry, said: “Wind farms definitely affect house prices. I would expect there to be billions of pounds of planning blight because of wind turbines close to properties.”
Meanwhile, Mr Selway also listed several location positives that can add to the value of a property.
Among the most sought-after properties are those close to good schools, those where nearby land is protected from development, and those which have a good gastropub in the vicinity.
Mr Selway told Country Life: “Schools are our number-one driver when it comes to people leaving London four the country. A house that’s a 15-20 minute drive from a good school can expect an added value of up to 15 per cent”.
He added: “Clients moving out of London don’t want to feel as if they’re moving into a desert. A gastropub in the vicinity is very important to their quality of life.”
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