Horsforth named one of England's best places to live

LS18 came eighth in a list of the top 10 most desirable postcodes, and was the only Yorkshire location to feature in the Centre for Economic and Business Research's survey.

It also appears in The Sunday Times newspaper's Best Places to Live guide released today.

Horsforth is famous as the neighbourhood where the Brownlee brothers grew up and took their first steps in the world of triathlon, while former Labour leader Ed Miliband spent part of his childhood there while his father was a professor of politics at the University of Leeds. He attended Featherbank Infant School and became a Leeds United fan. Other well-known residents include Liverpool and England footballer James Milner, A Clockwork Orange actor Malcolm McDowell and Olympic cyclist Jonny Clay.

The suburb's cosy, country feel has been cited by an estate agent as the key to Horsforth's appeal.

Linley and Simpson set up a branch on Station Road in 1997 and 20 years on, have noticed a huge surge in the area's popularity.

“Since we opened our doors, Horsforth’s popularity as a place to live and work has grown year-on-year and this will only increase further now its attractions have been shared on a national scale,” said branch manager David Mear.

“One of Yorkshire and Leeds’s best-kept secrets is now out – and will trigger yet another spike in interest, especially from outside the region.

“People who make Horsforth their home tell us that they love living so close to the city centre – yet it feels a million miles away because of everything they have on their doorstep – from sprawling green spaces to good nightlife and great transport links, buoyed by the opening of the new Kirkstall Forge railway station.”

The chart was compiled by economists who rated locations according to work-life balance and access to good schools and green spaces.

Linley and Simpson valuation manager David Reeves added:

“Those people who also put down their own roots here – and that includes many of our staff – are taken at first sight with what it has to offer and tend to stay in their properties for much longer than the national average.

“It is a magnet particularly for families, thanks to the unrivalled schools – such as Featherbank and Newlaithes, where Ed Miliband spent his early years - that serve the community, as well as the ever-improving Leeds Trinity University.”

Other attractions of Horsforth singled out by Linley and Simpson staff include the parks, eateries, award-winning pubs and bars, sandwich shops, cultural richness and good travel and transport links.

A number of data sources - including the 2011 Census, the Department for Communities and Local Government's Indices of Multiple Deprivation, General Land Use database and numerous releases from the Office for National Statistics - all helped determine the best postcodes in the country.