Analysis of new figures reveals that Ridgeway was the most expensive area of Swindon to buy a house in 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 reveal that of the 20 council wards in Swindon, Ridgeway saw the highest median house price in 2021, at £404,250.

This was followed by Chiseldon and Lawn at £320,000.

By contrast, the cheapest parts of Swindon to purchase property were Mannington and Western, which had a median house price of £182,250, Central (£190,000) and Eastcott (£200,000).

Meanwhile, the number of homes sold in Swindon rose from 2,843 in 2020 to 3,973 last year.

Of sales last year, 9% (360) were in Blunsdon and Highworth – making it the busiest area for buyers.

At the other end of the scale, Ridgeway saw just 50 properties sold in 2021, earning it the title of quietest area of Swindon's property market, along with its most expensive.

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.

The number of residential property sales in England increased by 21% 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."

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

Of the 16 wards with at least 100 properties sold, Wroughton and Wichelstowe saw 87% more properties sold in 2021 than in 2020, followed by Rodbourne Cheney (67%) and Mannington and Western (57%).