Estate agents - and the governor of the Bank of England - have poured cold water on suggestions that Thurrock house prices are set to tumble.

A report from the Nationwide Building Society last week warned towns such as Thurrock could become "property coolspots" in 2003, with prices slumping by more than 15 percent.

Nationwide - one of the country's biggest mortgage lenders - highlighted 20 vulnerable areas where it believed prices would either fall or severely slow down. All were in the south east of England - 14 in greater London - and included Thurrock.

The borough is home to Chafford Hundred, one of the largest new-building estates in Europe with homes topping £380,000.

However, Sir Eddie George, governor of the Bank of England has slammed reports of an economic slowdown as "sensationalist" but accepted the rise in house prices would "moderate quite sharply".

see Monday's Evening Echo for full story

Published Sunday, January 5, 2003

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