HOUSE prices in Huddersfield have soared by 34% in the past 12 months, said a survey today.
Figures from the Halifax mortgage bank showed the average price of a property in the town now stands at £105,539 compared with £78,557 a year ago.
The increase reflects property prices across the Yorkshire region.
The Halifax reported a 33% increase in house prices in Yorkshire over the 12 months to the end of June, 2003, with the average price now standing at £88,940.
That compares with 21.9% across the UK as a whole.
Figures from Halifax estate agency branches showed that Yorkshire and the Humber accounted for six out of the top 10 UK towns and cities for house price inflation.
They were Grimsby (49%), Halifax (46%), Pudsey and Barnsley (45%), Rotherham (43%) and Pontefract (39%).
House prices across Yorkshire rose by 6.8% in the second quarter of 2003 compared to the first quarter.
The survey comes just two days after the Bank of England gave a boost to housebuyers by trimming lending rates to a 48-year low of 3.5%.
Chris Stonock, regional manager for Halifax Estate Agents, said: "The outlook for the region remains strong for the rest of the year, although we do expect the rate of growth to slow."
Figures from estate agency chain Reeds Rains showed that house prices in northern England rose by 23% in the year to June - bringing the average price of a property to £87,216.
Managing director Steve Minchin said the agency sold £260m of property in June alone in the northern region, which includes Huddersfield.
He added that although activity was still high, but were now more properties coming on to the market than being sold.
