subject: How Do Polluting Factories Affect House Prices? [print this page] At Gartoo, weve recently been looking into the link between average house price and the number of polluting factories in a region. We have noticed that on average, every additional polluting factory in your region reduces the average house price by 800.
Taking data on the number of polluting factories in different areas of the UK and presenting it alongside data on average house prices, a trend starts to emerge. Areas in which there is a high number of polluting factories tend to have lower house prices, combined with a below average household income.
Which areas are the most affected?
One such area is the North West of England, where the average house price is 153,000 and 63% of polluting factories (of a total of 244) fall under postcodes in which household income is below average.
By contrast, the reverse appears to be true for areas in which the number of polluting factories is lower. For instance, the South West of England has only 64 polluting factories, while the average house price is 228,000. As with virtually every other region of the UK, the majority of the polluting factories (in this instance 67%) are to be found in postcodes in which household income is below average.
So what does all this suggest? Well, this data shows a correlation but it is of course not possible to infer cause and effect. But what it does appear to show is that poorer families in the UK are subject to a far greater level of pollution and therefore its harmful effects than those who are more affluent. It also suggests that property in a cleaner environment in the UK doesnt come cheap
