Bletchley Park: The Imitation Game helps house prices in Milton Keynes rise by 25 per cent
02-11-2015
Despite missing out on a BAFTA award last night The Imitation Game, staring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightly, has come up trumps for house prices in Milton Keynes.
The growth outstrips Britain-wide gains of 21 per cent during the past five years, while house prices in Milton Keynes are also above the British average of £210,242.
But buying a home in the location where a popular film was shot is no guarantee of superior returns.
Out of the 20 film locations Halifax looked at, including the settings for movies such as The Theory of Everything, Chariots of Fire, The Full Monty and Shirley Valentine, house prices in only three places had outperformed the national average, while only seven had outperformed their regional average.
London SE14 and N8, home to Shaun of the Dead, was the only other film location to see returns above the national average over five years at 24 per cent.
House prices in the location of four films have fallen during the same period, with Glasgow G67 and G68, home to Gregory’s Girl, seeing the biggest drop of 7 per cent, followed by Thornhill, Sanquhar and Dumfries, the setting for The Thirty-Nine Steps, where prices are 5 per cent lower.
During the past 20 years, the location of Shaun of the Dead has seen the biggest rise in property values of 426 per cent.
It is followed by the home of Quadrophenia, set in Brighton, with gains of 354 per cent, and the location of The Theory of Everything at 295 per cent.
House prices in all 20 film locations have at least doubled during the past 20 years, but growth ranges from 426 per cent for Shaun of the Dead to just 107 per cent for properties in the location of Gregory’s Girl.
Overall, the nine best performing film locations have all outperformed their regional averages in terms of house price gains during the past 20 years, although only six have seen prices rise more quickly than the national average.
Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, said: “This light-hearted look at property prices around the settings of some of the UK’s best known films of the past few decades shows that this year’s two leading contenders for awards are also outstanding in terms of house price performance.
“The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything have outperformed all others in the past five years and are in the top five over both the last 10 and 20 years.
“More generally, there is a mixed picture with some of the Scottish locations faring less well.”
This grade II listed converted watermill with swimming pool and ¾ acre plot of amazing gardens and four bedrooms for £800,000 (see picture 1).
There is also another grade II listed property with three double bedrooms that is just four minutes away from Bletchley Park.
The property on sale for £500,000 also benefits from a swimming pool, gym, sauna and double garage (see picture 2).
Fancy a new build, there are lots on offer at the new Newton Leys area.
Including this large five double bedroom home, eight minutes from where Benedict Cumberbatch went running (see picture 3).
This house on Collossus Way neighbours Bletchley Park and all areas of the estate are named after machines made at the Second World War site.
With front and rear gardens and five bedrooms, this could be yours for an offer over £344, 995 (see picture 4).