LIVERPOOL city centre’s ballooning population now tops 23,000 – ten times higher than 20 years ago, new figures reveal.

Back in 1991 just 2,300 people lived in the centre, now there are more than 23,350 – of which 10,200 are students.

And the population is due to continue growing in future years with more developments in the pipeline.

The research by regeneration agency Liverpool Vision also reveals that last year city centre properties lost 10% of their value leaving them costing an average £144,000.

It marks a fall from £160,000 in 2008 and £153,913 in 2007. Confidence may be starting to recover as two major schemes have restarted that had been on hold for more than a year.

Artisan have returned to the site of their waterfront apartments around part of the Echo Arena’s car park to finish the 96 apartments they started in 2008.

And 56 apartments are due for completion at Bispham House tower block in Marybone, after Fresh Start homes took over after the collapse of FM Developments.

In 2009 prices were down 6.4% relative to 2007, where as the UK property market lost 13% in the same period, the research shows.

City leaders said it was evidence that while the city centre market has not been immune to the affects of recession and the unavailability of mortgages, it has fared better then elsewhere.

Currently there are 10,951 residential properties in the city centre, of which 15% are vacant, a third are owner occupied, and 47% are owned by landlords.

Cllr Nick Small, who lives in the city centre and also represents its Central Ward, said: “I was surprised by the level of population, but I was also surprised at the resilience of the market in the credit crunch.

“Now a lot more people are living in the city centre with young families, and that has implications for the services the council provides. When city centre living was just taking off, the council saw it as a cash cow.

“People were living in band C and D properties and not using the most expensive services like education and social services.