We visited the suburb with the fastest growing house prices in Sheffield to find out why

It is not hard to see why people want to live in Highfield and Lowfield, but massive house price increases in recent years have been higher than anywhere else in the city.

In December 2022, the average house sale was up £55,000 compared to December 2021, making an increase of an eye-watering 43%.

Walking around Highfield, the draw to living in the area is obvious. Midweek, when you might expect areas outside of the centre to be quieter, people are already out in the residential areas, parks, and shop-lined streets around the neighbourhoods.

Restaurants and takeaways selling food from all corners of the world are peppered along the famous London Road, which made me pre-emptively abandon tonight’s cooking plans in favour of Taco Mex.

Highfield sits just south of the ring road, making the walk to the city centre just a few minutes for some residents. Although this is convenient, it didn’t somehow up sticks and move to this spot in the last year or two, so what’s causing the record house price increases?

Janet Greenwood has lived on Midland Street with her husband for 25 years, and has “no idea” why this is the case, 

She said: “I would love to move, but my husband won’t. When we first came here there were a lot of families and everyone looked out for each other, but now you don’t know anyone. There’s no continuity, so why house prices are so high now, I really don’t know. Students come and go. Mostly they’ve been lovely.

“I feel sorry for some of them. These houses were originally suitable for a small family, then you get the landlords coming in, chopping rooms up, and getting five students in one home. 

“If they can do that, they’re going to, and they won't rent to a family. I think it's these landlords that have bought the area down, and pushed the prices up, in my opinion.”

Provided you can somehow dodge the obstacles of the rental crisis, cost-of-living crisis, and other various whims of the market, Highfield and Lowfield have a lot on offer.

Ellie Simpson, head barista at the newly-opened Kilnfolk Cafe on Clough Road, has found the reception of the business to have been totally positive from the locals.

“I'm not sure about the other businesses, but people have said the cafe is something the area needs. The closest similar thing is Costa. 

“I think they’re happy to be able to get a nice coffee and support a small business, especially if you’re paying similar prices anyway, you’d rather not be giving to big corporations. In this area, it has been mainly small businesses opening up lately, which is great.”

Although steadily becoming more pricey, with its up-and-coming independents, Bramall Lane, and hundreds of shops and bars along London Road and the nearby Abbeydale Road, there is something for everyone in Highfield and Lowfield.