THE North-South divide over property prices has widened over the past two decades, according to a survey by the Halifax published today.

The average house price in Yorkshire and the Humber rose by 250 per cent over the 20 years to the end of 2002 from £22,512 to £78,732, says the Halifax House Price Index on its 20th anniversary.

But the average increase across the whole of the United Kingdom is 306 per cent, from £29,993 in the first quarter of 1983 to £121,742 in the final quarter of 2002. London experienced an even bigger rise of 456 per cent.

However, Yorkshire's increases were still bigger than those for Scotland, Wales, the North-West, Northern Ireland and the North.

Meanwhile, chartered surveyors in North Yorkshire are predicting firm growth in 2003, partly because of the low number of houses coming on to the market.

Updated: 11:20 Saturday, January 25, 2003