The ‘spa effect’ is causing people to splash out and pay almost twice the regional average house price to live in Ilkley, a new report claims.

The average cost of a home in the West Yorkshire town is 97 per cent higher than across the rest of the county, according to a survey by Lloyds TSB.

And they say it is because of the effect of the common features of a spa town, such as a high quality of life, good schools, a lower crime rate, low traffic and period architecture.

The report claims properties in spa towns in England and Wales cost an average of 16 per cent, or £38,000, more than homes in the rest of their specific county.

The point is emphasised in West Yorkshire by Ilkley and Boston Spa, where a house costs on average 98 per cent more than the rest of the county.

Nitesh Patel, housing economist at Lloyds TSB, said: “Spa towns tend to have a larger stock of period architecture, such as Georgian or Regency, which are often larger and command higher prices.

“Spa towns are also thought of as having a high quality of life, including excellent schools, lower crime rates, and lesser traffic volumes, all of which drive desirability in these areas and ramp up value.”

But Councillor Brian Mann, chairman of Ilkley Parish Council, says the town owes more to other natural features than the spa, for its high desirability.

“It’s basically an attractive environment and beyond that it’s iconic,” he said. “It’s a gateway to the Dales, and Ilkley Moor is known worldwide. We’ve moved on from the spa town concept really, and I hate to say it, cashing in on the attractiveness of Ilkley Moor.

“I suppose most of its developed life Ilkley has always attracted middle class people and that’s led to good schools, good housing, a sought-after environment and some of our shops are fairly famous too.”

  • Read the full story in Tuesday's T&A