Internal immigrants supply south-west property boom

Posted: 02 Jan 2007 10:10:30 GMT

The south-west has welcomed more internal immigrants than any other region of the UK over the last ten years, research from Halifax has shown

The south-west has welcomed more internal immigrants than any other region of the UK over the last ten years, research from Halifax has shown.

Almost 1.5 million Britons have relocated to the region since 1996, a net gain of more than 300,000, equivalent to six per cent population growth.

"There have been significant population shifts across the UK over the past decade," said Tim Crawford of Halifax.

"The high number of people moving to the south-west has been a key factor contributing to the rapid rise in house prices in the region during the past ten years."

The Midlands, east and south-east of England have all also experienced net migration.

A net ten per cent of Londoners, or 774,000, relocated outside the capital during the period, but due to a high birth rate and international immigration grew by 605,000.

Halifax said that there is an explicit link between population movement and house prices, with the most rapidly expanding regions also recording the highest price rises.

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