About South Norfolk
A guide to some of the Property hotspots in South Norfolk
This huge section of the south of Norfolk, spanning 350 square miles, largely borders Suffolk and has the settlement of Long Stratton as its administrative headquarters, but its 110,000 residents are spoiled for choice for places to live in the many beautiful towns, villages and hamlets within South Norfolk.
We’ll start this Area Guide with a look at two of the finest towns in south Norfolk: Wymondham and Attleborough. Sitting nicely each side of the A11 dual carriageway (the main route to Cambridge and London), property prices here are increasing rapidly. Not just because of improving road connections, but there are other factors at play too.
Wymondham is home to a famous twin towered Abbey, founded in 1107, a quaint town centre with much of its wealth stemming from wool and spoons, oddly enough. The manufacture of wooden spoons is evident in streets like “Spooner Row.”
Home to the highly regarded comprehensive boarding school Wymondham College and high school, Wymondham has lots going for it as a location for families with children of school age in particular.
The area’s property market is characterised by detached houses, which sell on average for £295,000, similar to Hethersett, Mulbarton though lower than nearby Bawburgh (£319,000) because of its proximity to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. Terraced houses in Wymondham command an average of £189,000 and semi-detached homes are only marginally higher at £210,000.
Properties sell quickly according to recent data crawls, with 60% of available stock sold.
It’s an area The Norfolk Agents really like – you’ve got Norwich close by and the delights of the Breckland forest close to hand.
Attleborough is smaller than Wymondham but has seen rapid price growth since improved road connections. The average sold house price in Attleborough is £218,000, which is just £10,000 less than Wymondham. There is also an abundance of new build homes available in both towns.
It sits on the A140, equidistant between Norwich and the delightful larger town of Diss. It’s well served by public transport including a train station on the direct Norwich to London line. Schools where you’ll find a primary and high school near its centre. Diss is a gem of a town in South Norfolk, it sits right on the border with Suffolk with its close neighbour, Eye being in Suffolk.
It nestles in the Waveney Valley, oddly perhaps, with a natural inland lake at its centre: Diss Mere. What’s unusual about this water is that it is 18 feet deep with another 51 feet of mud below. Don’t try crossing it in stilts.
Property prices in Diss are climbing rapidly; the past 12 months has seen a 13% increase with the overall average sold house price now hitting £220,000. It has a wide range of property types and prices to suit all pockets.
A studio flat can be bought for under £50,000 (half the price of similar flats in Norwich) with a Grade 2 listed Georgian house commanding almost £800,000. 50% of housing stock in Diss is sold.
Loddon and Chedgrave sit within the Norfolk Broads national park too on the River Chet, a tributary of the River Yare, which ends at Yarmouth so has several waterside Properties. Loddon’s picturesque centre nestles around the Holy Trinity Church, built in the 15th century and is highly regarded as a place for walking with it sitting in Britain’s largest protected wetland.
Loddon house prices average £230,000 with its close neighbour Chedgrave costing an average £14,000 more. Properties here sell quickly with 75% of current housing stock on the portals marked as sold. There’s new build homes to choose from as well as large period properties dating back to Georgian times.
In 1953, Thetford expanded rapidly when it officially became a “London overspill town”, making it one of the fastest growing places in Britain. Thomas Paine, famed for his “Rights of Man” was born in the town and Thetford’s proud history is on display in the wonderful Ancient House Museum.
Property in Thetford is slightly cheaper on average but is seeing impressive price rises of 9% in the past year alone. It sits close to Bury St Edmunds and is just 28 miles from Norwich and 86 miles from London. 70% of properties in Thetford are sold, with prices ranging from £65,000 to £450,000.