A MAJOR housing firm is preparing to split into three this year.

Story Homes is set to be divided into three regions to deal with increasing demand in the North East and North West.

It will become fully regionalised in April, with three separate offices.

Steve Errington, chief executive of Story Homes, has overseen the company’s expansion out of Cumbria into the North East and Lancashire, and has now established offices in Newcastle and Chorley to have permanent bases in those areas.

Mr Errington said: “It’s down to our two new regions in the North East and the North West and we will become a fully regionalised business this year with three separate businesses operating in April.

“We have our North East business based in Newcastle, which is being headed up by Ian Worgan who we recruited from Taylor Wimpey in October.

“In addition to our Carlisle head office, which also acts as a base for our south-west Scotland and Cumbria business, we have a new office in Chorley where Sue Warwick will be our new managing director.”

The new offices are evidence of the company’s growth, which Mr Errington hopes will see the company become one of the top 20 housebuilders in the next five years.

The chief executive said: “We plan to continue growing our business, with 40 per cent growth next year and then continued growth year-on-year, spurred on by improvements in the planning system, though there are a few obstacles to getting onto a site.

“We see key market opportunities, we have a premium-value product, which has better specifications and the market and the sales reflect this.”