The research, produced by Savills, compared prices in towns with a population of more than 5,000 and puts Ilkley in 48th place with an average property price of £322,000.  This is one per cent up on the peak of the market and a 66 per cent increase since 2002.

Leading national newspaper The Times released the league table in a full page spread and featured quotes and information from Ian Briggs of Ilkley based estate agent Dacre, Son & Hartley to support the findings.

Patrick McCutcheon FNAEA, Head of Dacres Residential who is also based in Ilkley, commented: “Ilkley has always stood out from the crowd and it definitely does so in this league table because it’s one of only a few towns located outside the South of England to be included.  Almost every town in the list has fast transport links into London but Ilkley’s strength is that it’s a 30 minute train journey into Leeds and just a short drive from Leeds Bradford Airport.  This speaks volumes about the strength of the regional economy and for Ilkley to be flying the flag for Yorkshire is great news. 

“The town also benefits from fantastic shops and restaurants, great schools and it has some of the UK’s best countryside right on its doorstep.  For this reason Ilkley’s property market has been far less affected by the recession compared to other areas and it’s no surprise that this research suggests prices are up in comparison to the peak of the market in 2007. 

“There is definitely plenty of demand for homes in Ilkley and there’s a shortage of stock in most sectors of the market.  This is especially true for homes priced between £300,000 and £500,000 which are very highly sought after.”

The most expensive town in the league table is Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire where the average property costs £846,000 which has increased by 21 per cent since 2007.  The town is a 22 minute train ride into London and is close to the Chiltern Hills.