Westbury Homes has made 100 staff redundant after the acquisition of rival housebuilder Prowting.
Redundancies and other costs associated with the takeover are expected to amount to about £4.5m. However, Westbury expects to make savings of £7m a year from 2004.

The firm told the City that its sales for the six months to 31 August were slightly down on the same period last year – 1827 units compared with 1888 – but that the average sale price had increased about £25,000 to £157,000.

Chief executive Martin Donohue said sales would increase in the second half of the year as more schemes came on stream.

Westbury bought Prowting for £141m in a deal finalised in June. The purchase makes Westbury the UK’s sixth largest housebuilder.

Colin Cole, managing director of Westbury Homes, said all the job losses were at Prowting. He said Westbury tried to rehire staff, but only 15 have found jobs.

The acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of the month.