Half of the homes on a Workington new-build estate have already been snapped up, its developer has revealed.

Mandale Homes is creating the 35-property Potter’s Meadow development on a site off Ashfield Road South, after the Allerdale council-owned land was released for sale by Allerdale Investment Partnership.

The partnership was set up by the authority with IAG to sell off surplus land and has resulted in the building of Lidl in Maryport, work about to start on a Travelodge and Costa Coffee complex on land opposite Tesco in Workington and plans for a new Lidl in the town.

In March, Allerdale council received £250,000 from the partnership, its first distribution of funds. The then leader Alan Smith pledged it would be spent on local projects.

Planning permission has been granted for a total of 290 homes to be built on the Ashfield Road South site.

Mandale Homes released the first phase of 35 homes for sale in March and it said 50 per cent had been sold or reserved and the majority of them had been bought by local people.

Its Workington show home officially opens today.

Richard Harriman, sales director of Mandale Homes, said: “Many people in Workington have been making the trip to our Teesside developments to view a show home before reserving at Potter’s Meadow – so we’re thrilled to open one of our most popular four-bedroom designs as a show home locally.”

Stephen Holland, programme director of the Allerdale Investment Partnership, said: “We’re pleased to hear about these strong sales, confirming that attracting investment for quality residential developments is a crucial part of a balanced strategy for Allerdale’s economic regeneration.

“It’s excellent to hear that homes have been so well received by locals in Workington and we’re pleased to congratulate Mandale Homes on the opening of their show home on their first ever development in Cumbria.”

The new estate will be a mixture of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes.