Independent design-led SME housebuilder Backhouse is celebrating a huge company milestone with its first ever sales.

The first homes at the company's landmark residential development in Castle Cary, Somerset were sold, with buyers due to move in over the next month.

The Lovel's Farm site comprises 74 distinctive new homes designed by Stirling Prize-winning architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM).

Founder Theo Backhouse, who started the firm in 2016, said: "Making our first sales is a big step in the evolution of the company.


"The support we've found in this region – from the town and parish councils to the subcontractors we are working with and our first customers – has been fantastic and has given the business a strong base to grow from.

"One of our founding principles is that housebuilding in the UK can be done better and we are now committed to finding the best land for developing in our region and beyond.

"We aim to use the best design talent in Britain to deliver new homes and places where people and communities can flourish."

This milestone supports the company's plans to deliver 500 homes a year by FY2022.

Backhouse is working on other sites in Westbury and Calne in Wiltshire, and is now on a major land buying programme across the West Country and M4 corridor.

(CM)