THE GREAT HOUSE PRICE DIVIDE ACROSS N. WALES

NEW house price figures have shown the cheapest and most expensive places to buy a home in North Wales.

These statistics from the Office of National Statistics show the median price paid in dozens of council wards over the past 12 months.

With growing concerns over the impact of second homes on the housing market it does highlight the high cost of buying in some coastal and rural communities.

GWYNEDD

Gwynedd has been at the forefront of protests about house prices and there is no surprise about the wards popping up with the highest prices.

Aberdaron on the tip of the Llŷn peninsula topped the list, both in the county and across North Wales, with an average sale price of £363,000.

Close behind was the resort of Abersoch on £363,000 and Llanengan (£305,000) where demand for holiday homes has always pushed up the price of properties.

Llanbedr (£285,000) and Criccieth (£283,000) were also high up on the list.

At the other end of the scale was Diffwys and Maenofferen, which includes the slate town of Blaenau Ffestiniog. Here the average home went for £80,000 – £283,000 less than Aberdaron.

The next cheapest was Penygroes, near Caernarfon, where £94,000 was the average price paid.

ANGLESEY

The gulf between the cheapest and most expensive homes was not as huge on Anglesey – partly explained by larger, multimember wards.

Here the highest prices were found in the Seiriol ward on the Menai Strait, which includes Beaumaris. The average price of a home was £233,000.

Llugwy, on the east coast of Anglesey, and Llfion, which includes the watersports resort of Rhosneigr, were next on the list with average prices at £220,000.

The cheapest homes could be snapped up in Holyhead at an average of £132,000.

CONWY

While coast commands the most in the first two counties, in Conwy it is properties in the rural wards that come with the highest price tags.

Caerhun, which includes the villages of Rowen and Ty’n y Groes, the average home went for £252,000.

Next up was Eglwysbach, just the other side of the Afon Conwy, with prices at £250,000.

It was back to the shore at third with average prices in Deganwy of £229,000.

The best bargains were found in the Pant yr Afon/ Penmaenan ward with average prices at £117,000.

After this came Pensarn, near Abergele, and the Glyn ward of Colwyn Bay, where prices in both wards went for an average of £125,000. £80,000 Wrexham town centre or Blaenau Ffestiniog