RBH has completed around 150 houses each year in its North West region for the past three years.

Wilson Bowden has bought Roland Bardsley Homes, a regional housebuilder in the north-west, in a £25m deal.

Under the acquisition, Wilson Bowden's housebuilding arm David Wilson Homes will take on debt of £24m carried by Roland Bardsley.

RBH has nine sites in the north west and has five more due to open in the coming months, mostly in the Manchester area. It has completed around 150 houses each year for the past three years.

The firm has a land bank of around 600 plots, all of which have detailed planning consent.

Wilson Bowden chief executive Ian Robertson said: "This is an excellent opportunity to purchase a business with a solid land bank all of which has detailed planning consent. Roland Bardsley Homes ideally complements our existing operations in the North West and will be integrated into David Wilson Homes.

"This acquisition forms part of our planned 2006 land expenditure and will contribute towards our existing volume targets."