A growing population in a popular commuter town
The town of Aylesbury is situated approximately 45 miles north-west of London, nestled in the county of Buckinghamshire. The town’s population has grown from 28,000 in the 1960s to over 58,000 in 2011. The greater urban area now accommodates 74,748, due mainly to new housing developments.
Due to its closeness to London, Aylesbury is the perfect commuter town. The great quality of life the town offers coupled with solid transport links to London make it a popular choice for city workers.
Property prices in the country of Buckinghamshire are around 66% above the national average. However, Aylesbury is around 34% below the county average, so there are currently some good property investment deals available here.
The ongoing development of new housing between the A41 and the A413 along with the expansion of Fairford Leys village will cater for a further eight thousand people on the north side of Aylesbury. A large proportion of these new tenants commute to London for work every day. That means Aylesbury property investment is ideal if you're looking for a commuter belt property for your portfolio.
Economy & Employment
Aylesbury’s newest large scale employer is in the dairy industry.
Three major industrial and commercial centres make sure the town is a hub for distribution and has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.
Arla Foods opened a state-of-the-art £150-million ‘megadairy’ in 2013. Situated just off the A41 in Aston Clinton, it is now a major employer in the Aylesbury area. Arla also paid for infrastructure improvements around Aylesbury to ensure the increased transportation in the vicinity did not cause congestion to the area.
Being a highly filmed county another source of income is tourism. It supports over 6,800 jobs and creates revenue of some £55 million per year in the Aylesbury Vale district.
With great access to London, Aylesbury is also an excellent commuter town.
Investment
Aylesbury has innovative art & leisure industry.
The £42 million Aylesbury Waterside Theatre opened in October 2010. It has a 1,200 seat auditorium and hosts everything from touring west-end musicals to ballet companies, opera productions and big-name comedians.
In addition to this, the surrounding area is being redeveloped as part of the £100 million Waterside North project. When this is completed there will be 24,000 sqm of new retail floor space and 1,100 new jobs created.
A Waitrose supermarket opened opposite the theatre in August 2013 along with a Travelodge hotel. Branches of Wagamama and Nando’s restaurants opened in ‘The Exchange’ in February 2014, next to the Odeon cinema on Exchange Street.
A branch of Zizzi is also expected to open in 2015, as part of a council plan to revitalise the Waterside area.
Transport
Cycleway: Cycle Aylesbury recently opened the first of their Gemstone Cycleways. These are a network of routes running from Aylesbury town centre to various locations around the town, including Stone, Bierton, Wendover and Watermead. Also, they provide facilities for cyclists, such as bike lockers, bike stands, tiger and toucan road crossings.
Air: Luton Airport is 30 miles away on the A41. Heathrow Airport is 39 miles away via A41 & M25 Both take approximately 45 minutes.
Rail: The town is served by Aylesbury railway station and Aylesbury Vale Parkway railway station. The latter is the terminus of passenger services of the London to Aylesbury Line from London Marylebone. Stoke Mandeville railway station also lies in the town’s urban area.
Road: Aylesbury is served by the A41 from London to Birkenhead, The A413 and A418 roads also run through the town. The M40 motorway at junction 9 is 14.7 miles away and the M25 motorway is just over 21 miles drive.
Bus: Run by Arriva, these services run every 20–30 minutes to Milton Keynes, Oxford, High Wycombe, Thame, Tring, Hemel Hempstead and Watford. Hourly services run to Luton and Leighton Buzzard. Arriva also runs services to RAF Halton, Chesham, Great Missenden & Amersham.
Education
There are 27 primary, 7 secondary, 3 special schools and 6 independent schools in the Aylesbury area. A notable institution is Aylesbury Grammar School which was founded in 1598. Other grammar schools now include Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School and Aylesbury High School.
Shops & Leisure
Shopping: Friars Square Shopping Centre and Hale Leys Shopping Centre are the two main retail areas in Aylesbury. They offer all the usual high street names you would expect, including Boots Opticians and Clarks shoes. There is also a new Waitrose supermarket just opened.
Sport & Culture: You might not fancy a trip to the gym alone, so grab a friend and have a look at some of the great sport and physical activity options available in the district. These include No Strings Badminton & Netball Now sessions, where you can just turn up to play and there will be a group of other people just like you there! Other activities include structured swimming sessions, dance and workout classes, netball, tennis, hockey, running and more.
Green Spaces: With over 350 square miles of rural Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale offers many outstanding views of natural beauty. It is home to more than 60 areas of green spaces for vocational use, including major parks, play areas, pitches and woodlands.
