County builder to take on extra staff

Shropshire Homes, the county's largest independent housebuilder, has been keeping most of its workers on reduced hours since the middle of last year.

But today managing director Howard Thorne revealed it was gearing up to increase its workforce after an "encouraging" start to the year.

"Most of our staff have been on reduced hours since last summer. We have now moved back to full-time working. We have also taken on five new employees in the last two weeks, and are hopeful of creating more jobs in the future."

Shropshire Homes, which has its headquarters at Cross Houses, is currently building new homes in Shrewsbury, Telford, Pontesbury and Ruyton XI Towns.

Mr Thorne added: "We have seen a marked increase in the number of visitors to our sites since Christmas, and this has resulted in the highest level of sales for over a year.

"The encouraging thing is that this has been on all of our developments, and the full range of customers from first-time buyers and investors to large detached homes."

His views were echoed by David Miller, of Shrewsbury estate agency Miller Evans, who said there were "most certainly" signs that the market was picking up.

Last week DB Roberts revealed it had sold its February quota of homes before the middle of the month.