New figures reveal that Heaton and Lostock were the most expensive areas of Bolton to buy a house last year.

Zoopla said the data highlights how localised the housing market across England and Wales is, with prices often reflecting the housing stock available in an area.

Data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that of the 20 council wards in Bolton, Heaton and Lostock saw the highest median house price in 2021, of £283,750.

This was followed by Bradshaw, £225,000, and Bromley Cross, £223,500.

By contrast, the cheapest parts of Bolton to purchase property were Halliwell, which had a median house price of £85,000, Great Lever, £100,000, and Rumworth, £105,000.

And the number of homes sold in Bolton rose from 3,418 in 2020 to 3,833 last year.

Of sales last year, eight per cent  - 316 -  were in Heaton and Lostock – making it both the most expensive and the busiest area for buyers.

At the other end of the scale, Rumworth saw just 101 properties sold in 2021, earning it the title of quietest area of Bolton's property market.

Heaton and Lostock Ward Councillor Andy Morgan said: “It is no surprise that properties in Heaton and Lostock are so sought after. 

"A large part of the ward is covered by a conservation area which means it retains its original character of large properties on large plots and preserves the open feeling of the ward and gives added protection to its green spaces and trees. 

"We benefit from a number of amazing golf courses which further enhances the open aspect of the ward and have excellent road links to the motorway network and Middlebrook. 

"At the next local elections the new ward boundaries come into effect when we look forward to welcoming Chew Moor Village into the ward, another jewel in Bolton’s crown.”

The ONS figures also revealed the trendiest area – the one which saw the fastest growth in sales – in Bolton.

Of the 18 wards with at least 100 properties sold, Smithills saw 44 per cent more properties sold in 2021 than in 2020, followed by Westhoughton North and Chew Moor (37 per cent ) and Breightmet (28 per cent).

The Centre for Economics and Business Research said that following a period of significant growth during the pandemic, it expects house prices to experience downward pressure over the next year, as a result of sharp rises in mortgage rates.

Karl Thompson, an economist at the think tank, said the strongest price contractions are expected outside of London and the South East, causing greater regional price disparities.

The number of residential property sales in England increased by 21 per cent to 821,407 between the end of 2020 and the end of last year.

Grainne Gilmore, head of research at Zoopla, said property values vary widely in large part because of the differing housing stock between areas – some neighbourhoods will have a higher number of five-bedroom detached homes, while others will be home to more flats and smaller properties.

But she said the difference between more and less expensive areas may start to narrow.

She added: "The demand for larger detached homes during the pandemic has pushed average values for houses higher over the last year, while price growth for flats has lagged.

"But there are signs that demand for flats in city centres is gaining momentum, so we could see faster rising prices in this part of the market."