The first houses being built at the new expansion of Swindon in Wichelstowe go on sale today, although buyers won’t be able to move in until next year.

Both Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes will open their sales centres today at the new development to the south west of the borough.

The centre will sell the first houses and flats to be built in the Canalside site.

The entire development is a partnership between the builders and Swindon Borough Council.

Housebuyers will be able to buy a house “off plan” – which means before it is actually built – with a completion and move-in date sometime in 2020.

The centre of the development – a canal and a pub restaurant – have already been built and a new secondary school has opened in the district with a new primary school in construction.

In total, more than 4,000 new homes will be built over the next few years in Wichelstowe, along with a new road under the M4 to the south.