Woking in Surrey recorded the biggest rise in house prices among major UK towns and cities over the past year, according to new research by Halifax. Based on the lenders own house price data, the average selling price in Woking was 16% higher than in the previous year, increasing from £257,590 in 2010 to £299,654 in 20111. Woking is a large commuter town within easy reach of central London by rail.

Falkirk in Scotland experienced the second biggest rise in house prices with a 12% gain. Like Woking, Falkirk is within easy commuting distance of major commercial centres, lying almost equidistant between Edinburgh and Glasgow. The town also has relatively low average property prices, making it more affordable than many other areas close to Scotlands two largest cities.

Unsurprisingly, towns in London and the South East accounted for nine of the 20 towns which recording the strongest price rises in 2011 while overall, 28% of the towns surveyed saw some increase in prices over the year.

Kettering in Northamptonshire and Dunfermline in Scotland experienced the largest falls in average selling prices in 2011, both recording declines of 15%. Nine of the ten towns that saw the biggest declines in property values are outside southern England, reflecting the generally weaker performance of the housing market outside the south.

There were mixed fortunes north of the border in Scotland which recorded a very mixed performance with two towns in the top ten – Falkirk and Inverness – but with two in the bottom ten – Dunfermline and Ayr.

Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, said: "Whilst house prices nationally have been largely unchanged in recent months, there have been significant differences in performance in towns across the country. The two towns in our research recording the biggest rises are both within easy commuting distance of major commercial centres. In contrast, the majority of towns that have fared worst in house price terms are outside southern England where economic conditions have tended to be less favourable.”