AVERAGE house prices in the town rose by 2.9 per cent last year as the property market continues to prosper according to the council's 17th annual property report.

The average house is now priced at £187,000 - a rise of £5,270 from the previous year.

On the whole, Warrington's importance as a 'regional hub' was underlined by the number and value of investment deals which took place across the borough in 2014.

A total of 34 deals, worth £300 million, and portfolio deals, which accounted for an additional £100 million, were sealed.

These were up by more that 50 percent on the previous year and the total investment more than doubled.

Warrington’s largest single recorded deal was the sale of the Golden Square Shopping Centre for £141 million to LaSalle Investment Management on behalf of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation.

Omega’s emergence as a prime regional employment site was reinforced with the two largest industrial deals in Warrington last year.

As revealed by the Warrington Guardian, these were The Hut Group's acquisition of a 16.6 hectare site, on which it will build a 64,000 square metre distribution and manufacturing centre, as well as a deal to build a distribution centre for the French automotive parts manufacturer, Plastic Omnium, which will serve as a supply base for Jaguar Land Rover, creating 400 jobs.

The property review was commissioned by Warrington & Co, Warrington’s partner for driving growth.

"The figures contained within this year’s report in every sector are very favourable and indicate that the Warrington’s current robust economy is being reflected in no small part by the buoyancy of its property market," said Steve Park, managing director of Warrington & Co.

"A number of the deals done last year were exceptional and demonstrate the confidence that major investors have in Warrington."

Warrington is now being tipped to become something of a 'nuclear hub' following the amount of investment in this area.

Previously seen as a growing sector, nuclear-related businesses now occupy 20 per cent of all office space in Warrington, with the number potentially set to increase in the coming year, as a result of the likely take-up by other international nuclear sector businesses.

The Birchwood area of Warrington out-performed all other parts of the town in both the number of deals and floor space taken up.

The report also outlined the intentions of the council to develop the town into a strong tourism destination, with plans for the multi-million Bridge Street Quarter project currently taking shape.

In terms of housing, the local plan core strategy is targeting the annual completion of 500 new homes through to 2027, with the latest figures on housing completion indicating the town is ahead of this target.