Known for its leafy streets, beautiful parks and welcoming communities, North Leeds offers a lifestyle that is ideal for families, young professionals and retirees alike. It’s no surprise that it’s one of the most desirable places to live near the city, if not the county itself. Multi-million pound homes sit at an equal distance between the city centre and rolling countryside, with trendy eateries, boutique shops and award-winning schools in-between.
Alwoodley is considered to be the most affluent of all the areas with its gated mansions sitting just five miles from Leeds city centre whilst also being on the edge of the countryside. The neighbouring village of Harewood sits on the boundary between West and North Yorkshire and offers its residents elegant countryside living in pretty period properties. Emmerdale is filmed close by, which explains why it’s the most ‘stereotypical Yorkshire’ of them all.
Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds Chapel Allerton and Horsforth are most popular with young professional owing to their charming village-like personalities full of quirky boutiques, excellent range of eateries and strong community feel. Horsforth train station makes it an excellent option for commuters connecting them to the heart of Leeds city centre in just 15 minutes.
For those looking to be close to the city centre, but surrounded by green sprawling spaces, then Roundhay is just the ticket. Wherever you choose in North Leeds won’t be short of a heartfelt community spirit and beautiful, open spaces.
What makes North Leeds so special is its proximity to the city centre whilst also feeling a world away thanks to its array of stunning outdoor spaces. Roundhay Park is by far one of the area’s most celebrated places being one of the largest and most beautiful public parks in Europe. Not only does it provide a great opportunity to get out and active, but there’s a wonderful calendar of festivals and concerts held here throughout the year.
Those who savour an active lifestyle are well catered for with running routes along the Leeds Liverpool canal and a superb selection of premier golf clubs from the prestigious Alwoodley Golf Club to historic Moor Allerton Golf Club. Boutique fitness studio North Studio in Roundhay offers a mix of reformer Pilates, spin and strength classes, whilst David Lloyd in Moortown has extensive facilities from swimming pools to tennis courts.
Coffee culture is strong in these parts. House of Koko and Bricklebank’s in Chapel Allerton are both excellent choices for a weekend brunch, while Haus of Coffee in Horsforth does what it says on the tin and does it well. Check out the Farmer’s Market at Oakwood Clock on the third Saturday morning of the month where stalls include local organic vegetables, eggs, meats, pies, bread, cheese and sweet treats.
History buffs will love stately home Harewood House and elegant Kirkstall Abbey; whilst little ones will love exploring Butterfly World. Plus, excellent links into Leeds city centre means you can access world-renowned theatre, museums, and amazing shopping, in under 30 minutes.
North Leeds sits firmly in the “golden triangle” of Yorkshire – a phrase coined by estate agents to describe a wealthy area of the region and one that is considered to be one of the best places to live in the country. Of course, an area with such an accolade doesn’t come cheap, but it’s not all mansions and lavish homes. According to RightMove, the most expensive places to buy are Harewood where the average house sold was £619,608 in the last year, and Oakwood which comes in at just over half a million pounds. This is closely followed by Alwoodley where the average price is £402,835, not dissimilar to Roundhay. For those looking for something a little more budget-friendly, but still beautiful, should look at Horsforth where the average house price is £347,356 or Chapel Allerton which is just shy of £300,000. There’s a greater choice of housing style the closer the area is to the city centre with more apartments on the market, whereas further out to the countryside the more likely you are to find larger, standalone homes. The proximity to schools also affects this, of which the area has plenty. Gateways at Harewood and Leeds Grammar School in Alwoodley are some of the most prestigious private schools in the county. North Leeds is a commuter’s dream, being perfectly positioned for travel into the city centre, there’s also a train station in Horsforth and Leeda Bradford International Airport close by in Yeadon.
Jordan Odu is the owner and founder of Leeds-based lifestyle and events PR agency Pink Gorilla Hairy Lemon. He lives in Roundhay with his partner and speaks fondly of his hometown: ‘I’m North Leeds born and bred and absolutely love the area. It’s so easy to get everywhere, especially into the centre. One of my favourite places is Roundhay Park as it’s just so beautiful! There’s so many great amenities in the area – House of Koko does a great brunch and Rudy’s Pizza in Chapel Allerton is SO good. San Carlo is a staple of the area. I tend to stay around Roundhay and Chapel Allerton for the views and the community. It’s just great being out of town, but also so close to town at the same time.’
