HOMEOWNERS in Oxford have watched their properties grow in value by more than £80,000 over the last six years, according to new research.

The think tank Centre for Cities said the rise in wealth in the city - compared to its northern counterparts - was clear evidence that reforms are needed in the planning system.

A home in Oxford was worth, on average, £317,000 in 2013 but this grew to £406,000 last year - an £89,000 increase.

This placed the city third in a league table of the biggest increases over this time period, behind Cambridge and London which experienced growth of £121,000 and £122,000 respectively.

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In contrast homeowners in both Sunderland and Middlesbrough saw their house price increase by only £3,000 and Doncaster and Burnley saw £5,000 rises.

Centre for Cities has called for reform of the planning system to allow more homes to be built in popular areas.

Chief Executive Andrew Carter said: “Our planning system is fuelling a north-south wealth divide among homeowners.

"Restrictive planning policies in many prosperous southern cities are gifting wealth to homeowners in the Greater South East.

“This creates two wealth divides: one between homeowners in the greater south east and elsewhere in the country, and another between homeowners, who tend to be older, and renters, who tend to be younger, within the greater South East."