HOUSE prices are booming in Blackburn and Darwen - while the rest of Lancashire lags behind.

Latest figures show that average prices across the borough have risen by more than seven per cent over the past year. But the rest of Lancashire saw prices barely move, rising by less than one per cent.

The figures are issued by the Land Registry, the Government agency responsible for monitoring house prices.

Since Blackburn with Darwen became a unitary authority figures are compiled separately from Lancashire and the latest quarterly report is the first time price trends in the borough can be seen.

The average price of a detached house sold between April and June 1998 in Blackburn and Darwen was £92,312, but rose to £94,551 in the same period last year.

Semi-detached homes saw the smallest rise - up from £49,705 to £49,812.

But it was terraced houses - where prices in many parts of the area have barely moved or fallen over the past decade - which showed the biggest increase.

The average price of a terraced home sold in the second quarter last year was £28,699 but this year the figure was £32,008 - a rise of more than 11 per cent.

And the number of houses being sold rose substantially from 507 in the three months last year to 547 this year.

In the rest of Lancashire detached houses rose from an average of £99,996 to £101,082, semi-detached homes fell in value from £56,222 to £55,897 and terraced rose from £36,287 to £37,193. Overall average prices rose from £58,980 to £59,121.

Across England and Wales, house prices rise by 8.1 per cent with average prices in the North West up by 5.4 per cent . In Greater London prices rose by 12.3 per cent.

A Council regeneration spokeswoman said: "There have been indications for some time that house prices have been rising in the borough.

"It is a good indication of the success of the regeneration initiatives that the borough has been involved in.

"The extension of the M65 has been a major factor in attracting new jobs which has helped the situation."

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