The Chilterns has been named one of the most popular beauty spots in the UK.

It was third in the top ten list published by Zoopla last weekend.

Between July 2020 and August 22 this year, homes for sale in the Chilterns clocked up a total of 7,270,489 online viewings.

The results confirm the extent to which the green landscape surrounding Marlow, High Wycombe, Beaconsfield, Princes Risborough, Amersham, Chesham and Wendover has become a magnet for house-hunters in the aftermath of the pandemic.

The county that attracted the greatest following on Zoopla’s website in the past 12 months was the Cotswolds (average price of a home there: £474,164).

In second place was Kent Downs (average house price: £460,132).

Two counties you might have thought would vie for top spots in the popularity stakes failed to attract as many potential buyers as the Chilterns.

Cornwall was fifth in the top ten, South Devon ninth.

Over the past year the average price of a property for sale in the Chilterns was £613,200, making it the second most expensive area for Zoopla browsers.

Meanwhile Buckinghamshire Council is one of 14 local authorities chosen by the government to take part in a pilot scheme to create a county wide design code for new home developers to follow.

Bucks is on a mission to improve its planning guidelines by canvassing local opinion via a new web portal called bucks.place.

Gareth Williams, cabinet member for planning and regeneration, wants feedback from locals of all ages, particularly youngsters, about what kind of area they would like to live in when they’re buying their first home or start a family.”

He is confident the new rules will have a radical effect on policy making for new buildings of all types, public and private.

“ We also need to begin thinking about what the home of 2050 will look like It is likely it will need to be designed completely differently from today in response to changes in lifestyle and climate.

“This is why your feedback as part of this pilot is so important to us. You can tell us what you think, good or bad,” says the councillor.