A lot of things play a role in making Darlington a nice place to live, and the sort of place people imagine themselves and their loved ones staying in. At Anthony Jones, we adore Darlington, we think the local property market has a lot to offer, but we are honest enough to admit there is room for improvement in the local area.
An issue that we know of, and something people talk about when discussing the local area, is the quality of air in the local area. This isn’t going to be the first thing people think of when it comes to the property market, but the quality of air is a factor which influences buying decisions in the housing market.
Buyers are put off by poor air quality
Information presented by Dataloft in 2018 suggests that poor air quality can hamper asking prices by as much as 15%. This is a significant amount, and this means the standard of air in an area is something property owners and prospective buyers need to be aware of.
This is why a new campaign set up by the Darlington Borough Council’s environmental health is of interest. They have a Care for Clean Air rolling out in Darlington, with the main focus falling on car users who leave their engine idling.
Changes coming for Darlington?
One area of particular interest is people waiting outside of schools to pick up children, but it is a campaign rolling out across the local area.
Estimates suggest an idling car provides enough harmful pollutants every minute to fill 150 balloons. There is particular concern about the impact of air pollution on children, with links to conditions such as respiratory infections and asthma.
Councillor Jonathan Dulston, Leader of Darlington Borough Council, was reported by the Northern Echo as saying: “Emissions from engines left to idle are harmful to health especially young children and those who are vulnerable. In addition, it can harm the environment, contributing to climate change; and it costs money to leave an engine running. Idling for even 10 seconds uses more fuel and creates more pollution than restarting your engine. Whilst it might be tempting to leave an engine switched on while you’re waiting to pick up children from school, especially when it’s cold and you want the heater on, it’s important to remember the possible damage you could be doing – please switch off. Better still, why not try and walk to school if you can.”
Contact Anthony Jones for all Darlington property matters
If you are looking for help with any matter of the Darlington property market, it is best to speak to property professionals. No one knows for sure what is going to happen next, so we won’t claim to have all the answers, but the Anthony Jones team is keen to help you as best we can. If you would like to contact us over housing matters, please call us today on 01325 776424.
