Rugby Ranking: New data reveals the property winners and losers of the 2015 Rugby World Cup

Rugby Ranking: New data reveals the property winners and losers of the 2015 Rugby World Cup

  • 13 locations across England and Wales will play host to the 2015 Rugby World Cup
  • co.uk releases new ‘Rugby Ranking’ revealing which venues have registered greatest property price growth in last 5 years
  • The Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford takes top spot with 35.6% increase, followed by Twickenham Stadium with 28.6%

The 2015 Rugby World Cup kicks off on Friday 18th September at Twickenham, with home nation England taking on Fiji in the first head-to-head of the tournament that will run for the next six weeks.

Yet it is not just the rugby that is drawing the crowds to these 13 key sporting locations around England and Wales. New ‘Rugby Ranking’ data released by Urban.co.uk, the UK’s original online estate agent, reveals how each location rates in terms of its property price growth in recent years – and the results certainly make for interesting reading.

Whilst Twickenham Stadium will be the venue for the exciting climax of the sporting tournament on 31st October, it is not the location that takes the trophy for the greatest price growth in the last five years. The ultimate prize is awarded to The Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford which has seen outstanding property value growth of 35.6%, taking 2010’s average value of £310,863 to £421,542 today.

England’s home ground of Twickenham Stadium is however home to the most expensive property, with today’s average value standing at £557,305, an impressive 28.6% higher than five years previous and ensuring the location takes 2nd place in the Urban.co.uk Rugby Ranking.

Following very closely behind with an average 28.3% growth in property prices and taking 3rd place is the area directly around Wembley Stadium, whose average house price in 2010 stood at £324,921, whereas today it is a massive £417,013.

Another location with over 20% growth is that within the near vicinity of Brighton Community Centre in Sussex, where today’s average property price stands at £386,296, 22.3% up on 2010’s £315,948. Taking 5th place in the Rugby Ranking is Stadium MK (Milton Keynes), the top rugby location outside of the south-east for property price growth, witnessing a 19.1% increase in the past five years, taking 2010’s average of £177,143 to £210,936 today.

Next in line is Leicester City Stadium, the venue that will play host to Argentina versus Tonga on 4th October. Here house prices have grown by 12.6% in the past five years (from £182,911 to £206,042), ensuring that the location stands at 6th place. Following this venue in the location listing is Manchester City Stadium at 7th place, whose average house prices have increased by 11.8% (from £101,079 to £112,966).

The only Welsh location playing host to the Rugby World Cup is the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff and it is this stadium that takes 8th place in the Rugby Ranking. Here, 11.2% property price growth has been seen over the past five years, with 2010’s £160,133 standing at £178,144 today.

Following closely behind is the only south-west 2015 World Cup venue, Exeter’s Sandy Park, having registered 11.1% price growth since 2010’s £225,325. Today’s average value of £250,273 places Devon’s key stadium in 9th place.

Standing at 10th place in the Rugby Ranking is the north-east’s St James’ Park, situated in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and registering 9.7% growth from 2010 to 2015. Five years ago the average property in the vicinity was priced at £145,899, whereas today it is an impressive £160,077. Falling behind this location is Kings Holm Stadium, Gloucester, where the second match of the 2015 tournament will take place. Here average property prices, according to Urban.co.uk, stand at £148,287, 9.5% up on 2010’s £135,395.

Whilst all of the locations have seen property price growth in the past five years, the final two stadium locations of the 2015 Rugby World Cup have done less well. In 12th place, Leeds’ Elland Road saw an average property value of £86,626 in 2010, with today’s average of £94,742 totting up a 9.4% growth.

Taking the final place is the Urban.co.uk Rugby Ranking is Birmingham’s Villa Park, with the lowest property price growth off all Rugby World Cup venues over the last five years, with just 8.3% growth, taking average prices from £96,493 in 2010 to £104,518 today.

Commenting on this enlightening new data, Adam Male, Founder of Urban.co.uk an online estate agent with 10-years’ experience in both lettings and sales, gives his take on their Rugby Ranking,

“It is clear that being close to a UK rugby venue can have an effect on house prices but it is interesting to see how much this can vary across the country. Whilst the affluent south-east is known to have seen rapid property price growth in recent times, other areas across the UK, such as Milton Keynes and Leicester, appear to have also witnessed impressive increases in the past five years when you look close to the key stadium locations.

“With the 2015 Rugby World Cup on the doorstep of these locations, this will ensure that these 13 important sporting locations are the focus of attention worldwide. It remains to be seen what further effect this will have on their house prices of the future and we will watch with interest.”

For more information, visit Urban.co.uk or call 0800 6899955.