This is according to Gloucestershire Live, which has given the spot that title in a new report published over the weekend.

Experts say the region has entered “a new era” as a prime property hotspot, thanks to its rising reputation.

Architect Alex Hancock, co‑founder of residential architecture and interior design practice Bloom Studio, said: “The Cotswolds is evolving.

READ MORE: Old Oxfordshire prep school with seven bedrooms for sale at £1.9m

“What we’re seeing is a new level of international buyer who values heritage but expects refinement.

“Our role is to preserve the architectural integrity of these buildings while quietly introducing the flow, material quality and technical performance that modern living demands.”

Bloom Studio says the Cotswolds is “no longer merely characterised by picturesque villages and weekend retreats” and is now recognised for “design, discretion, and a globally interconnected social scene”.

READ MORE: Music legend and wife have drink at Jeremy Clarkson’s Cotswolds pub

The firm said: “This new generation of buyers appreciates architectural integrity while also anticipating modern functionality: spatial flow, natural materials, refined detailing, and seamless project execution.”

According to Mr Hancock, demand is being fuelled by the global profile of venues such as Soho Farmhouse and Estelle Manor, along with the success of Jeremy Clarkson’s Amazon series Clarkson’s Farm.

He said these high‑profile destinations have helped draw in affluent international buyers, many of whom already own homes in cities such as London or overseas but want Cotswolds properties that blend “architectural authenticity with modern comfort”.

The TV star, who hosted the popular show Zoo Time, rose to fame in 1967 when his book The Naked Ape became an international bestseller.

He died on Sunday at the age of 98.

READ MORE: Police cordon in Kidlington after man ‘stabbed with knives’

His son Jason said: “His was a lifetime of exploration, curiosity and creativity.

uman behaviourist Desmond Morris gets a cuddle from Jamie, an Amazon parrot, at London Zoo, 1988 (Image: PA/PA Wire)

“A zoologist, manwatcher, author and artist, he was still writing and painting right up until his death.

“He was a great man and an even better father and grandfather.”

Mr Morris was formerly club director at Oxford United and he came up with the current ox-head symbol, based on a Minoan-style bull’s head, for the club’s badge.

The Wiltshire-born author joined the British Army in 1946 and fulfilled two years of national service, before later pursuing his interest in the arts and studying natural history.

Mr Morris began his academic career studying zoology at the University of Birmingham, and later completed a doctorate in animal behaviour at Oxford University, where he remained to study the reproductive behaviour of birds.

He became the face of ITV Granada’s hit nature series Zoo Time in 1956, which ran from 1956 until 1967 and featured animal experts and zoo staff and explored the behaviour of animals.

READ MORE: Oxford cinema’s fight for future to go before Parliament

Mr Morris also hosted many art exhibitions throughout his career, including one at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London in 1957 which combined his interest in both animals and painting, showcasing a series of works created by chimpanzees.

Desmond Morris at Regent’s Park, London, visiting Chia Chia the Panda, 1981 (Image: PA/PA Wire)

He also co-organised an exhibition titled The Lost Image in 1958 which compared images created by infants, human adults and apes and was on display at the Royal Festival Hall in London.

Mr Morris became the Zoological Society’s curator of mammals at London Zoo in 1959, a post he held for eight years.

He started his career with the BBC in 1965, hosting its Life In The Animal World programme, and later went on to headline many documentaries for the corporation.

In 1967, Mr Morris penned his most popular book, The Naked Ape: A Zoologist’s Study Of The Human Animal, which led to his global recognition.

Following its success, he wrote many follow-up books including The Human Zoo (1969), Manwatching (1977) and The Naked Man (1977), and contributed to more than 90 titles in his decades-long career dedicated to the study of animals and zoology.

Desmond Morris at Regent’s Park, London, visiting Chia Chia the Panda, 1981 (Image: PA/PA Wire)

READ MORE: Six tips in Oxfordshire to close, council announces

During his tenure as a broadcaster, he hosted BBC documentaries including Manwatching (1977), TV And Natural History (1986) and The Human Animal (1994), and he had regular appearances on shows such as The Animals Roadshow and Friday Night And Saturday Morning.

In recent years, Mr Morris continued to dedicate his life to his academic endeavours and his work as a surrealist artist, having held many exhibitions showcasing his work.

The BBC also released a programme titled The Secret Surrealist in 2017 showcasing Mr Morris and his artwork as it examined his “double life” as a painter.

Walls around the Kidlington superstore in Oxford Road have been sprayed with graffiti, while litter is being left strewn over the floor and shrubs are left uncut.

Kidlington district and town councillor Fiona Mawson has called on Sainsbury’s to take “more pride” in the appearance of the area.

She has accused supermarket bosses of “relying on the council to clean up for them”.

Fiona Mawson at the Kidlington Sainsbury’s (Image: Ian Middleton)

A plastic bag left in a tree at Sainsbury’s (Image: Ian Middleton)

In a recent meeting, Ms Mawson heard that Gosford and Water Eaton Parish Council has been paying to trim hedges and litter pick in the alley adjacent to the store’s car park which is within the parish even though it is commonly referred to as the Kidlington store.

Sainsbury’s previously had to apologise after volunteers, including Green councillor Ian Middleton, collected plastic bags and other pieces of litter covering paths, trees and alleyways surrounding the Kidlington store in 2020.

READ MORE: Church leader supports ban of England flags movement

Ms Mawson, who said she often takes part in litter picks in the area, has attempted to contact the store to ask for another clean-up but has been unable to get a satisfactory reply.

She said: “I’ve received numerous reports from local residents about the state of this area and have attempted to engage with Sainsbury’s about it, but they don’t seem to be interested.

“I understand that the local parish council has also tried to get the store to take responsibility and clean up the area but they’ve had a similar response.

“It’s outrageous that huge companies like these are seemingly perfectly happy for local taxpayers to foot the bill for maintaining their store estate.

Volunteers had previously tidied up the area around the Sainsbury’s Kidlington superstore (Image: Ian Middleton)

Volunteers had previously tidied up the area around the Sainsbury’s Kidlington superstore (Image: Ian Middleton)

“They are also relying on the good will of local volunteer litter-pickers to do the their jobs for them.

“Whilst I appreciate that things like littering and graffiti are out of the control of the store management, it is their property and they should be taking more care of it.

“This lack of maintenance reflects poorly on Sainsbury’s and suggests they don’t take their responsibility to the community that they rely on for custom seriously.

“As a former high street retailer myself, I know how important the state of your storefront is and I’d suggest that a company the size of Sainsbury’s should take a similar approach and clean-up their act, rather than relying on hard pressed local councils and volunteers to do it for them.”

Sainsbury’s has been approached for a response.

The latest mess in Kidlington comes after the Bicester superstore in Pioneer Square was under fire for the increasingly poor condition, prompting a petition to be started to get the chief executive to visit.