HARD on the heels of excellent half-year results, Linden Homes has raised a further £20 million funding for expansion, which could include a new regional operation in the Bristol area.

The company's southern managing director Gerard Price said: "Institutional investors are backing this funding through the London stock exchange.

"Their support shows that our message was well received and that the company's record in bespoke brownfield development translates into an exciting investment prospect.

"£20 million is a huge sum of money! It will allow the enlarged group to tackle even more ambitious projects and take on more complex sites, although our aim is to remain true to our core strengths of smaller high-quality projects in established locations.''

This policy has enabled Linden Homes to win numerous awards. Its strategies and ideas are echoed in central government guidance on sustainable development - which is at the heart of today's high-profile greenfield-versus-brownfield debate.

Linden's record is unusual.

Around 90 per cent of its 1998 developments were on brown land, streets ahead of the government's target of 60 per cent.

"The common theme behind the Linden name cropping up everywhere around Southampton is really very simple.

"The company buys the best located sites because of its local knowledge. Unlike many other developers, it is in a position to make fast decisions on whether to buy prime land when the opportunity arises,'' said Mr Price.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.