The ante has been upped on housing development in Potton after a Sandy-based company concluded the sale of a site primed for more than 150 homes.

Kier Living has now fully purchased the 18-acre site – which is on the east side of Biggleswade Road – with the intention of developing the land for residential use, as well as building a community hall and earmarking space for commercial purposes.

Martin Page, director at Barford and Co which oversaw the planning exercise, said: “This application involved the resolution of a range of complex technical, ecological and planning issues, but the outcome is a scheme which will successfully integrate with the town framework, delivering a range of new houses including affordable properties, local employment and new facilities.”

The company highlighted that there had been a range of planning and technical issues which needed detailed attention prior to the completion of the sale to Kier, including the need to close a badger sett at the point of access to the development and relocate numerous lizards.

“We attach the utmost importance to ecological and wildlife matters,” added Mr Page.

Commenting on behalf of Kier Living, land Director Dan Browne said: “We hope to have the first properties completed available for sale by spring next year and having just completed Laburnham Lodge at Sandy, which has proved to be very popular with purchasers, we will be offering high quality homes in the local area ranging from two-bedroom to five-bedroom units.”

Kier has not yet identified a name for its new development, but anticipates that more information will be released in the early summer.