HOUSE prices in the centre of Bolton have barely risen over the last 20 years, compared to huge increases in some of the town's most affluent areas.

In some postcodes, specifically the town centre and Halliwell, homes have still not reached the same price that some suburban properties were being sold for in 1995, according to data from the government's Land Registry.

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Out of 294 properties sold in the last 23 years in BL1 1 - which accounts for the very centre of Bolton - the average home cost has actually fallen, by around £15,000, with a property in 1995 coming in at around £77,000, while today's houses average just £62,000.

Bolton Council marks these changes down to a gradual alteration in the type of properties in the area which have has come as the borough has expanded.

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Over a 20-year period, the number of flats sold across Bolton has risen from 173 to 485, with the majority of these properties concentrated in the centre of town. On average these properties are worth around £15,000 less than a terraced house, and more than £140,000 less than a detached property.

In addition, the authority points to its 2030 town centre regeneration plan, saying the scheme will add 1,800 new central homes and improve the variety of properties available.

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A council spokesman said: “The existing town centre accommodation we have is made up of largely student housing and affordable and social rented housing. Properties sold on the open market have consisted mainly of flats aimed at the student market, ex-council housing and also terraced properties - these types of properties tend to be of lower value.

“Our ambition is to create 1,800 new homes and introduce new and attractive housing developments across the town centre, focussing on empty and brownfield sites close to the centre. This will provide different types of homes for a range of lifestyles.

“And work is well underway – we are already working with Muse Developments on Church Wharf, one of the key residential sites. Ambitions for that area include creating a distinctive residential neighbourhood that brings together hundreds of new homes all woven together by high quality new public spaces.

“And we are speaking to developers and investors regarding our other sites including Midia and their partners. This is not simply looking at one or two compact areas in isolation – this is about strategic planning to transform the town centre for decades to come.”

While home costs in Halliwell are relatively low, potential buyers do not have to travel far to Heaton, Lostock and Doffcocker where prices quickly rise.

These areas have increased steadily in value since 1995, with the average Lostock home costing £78,000 before the turn of the century and rising to £263,000 over the last year.

Homes in other areas have also fared well, with properties in Belmont and Chapeltown costing an average of £280,000, more than £130,000 above the normal range for the North West.

However, prices in some of the borough's other towns, Farnworth, Kearsley, and parts of Great Lever, are relatively low.

While the cost of a home in Farnworth has nearly quadrupled since 1995, it has stayed starkly below the North West's average, rising from £29,000 per home to £110,000, with values in Kearsley faring little better, at an average of £118,000 this year.