PLANS for thousands of new homes to be built on Swindon’s outskirts have encouraged an estate agent to open a new branch in the town.

Chancellors Estate Agents will set up shop on Commercial Road next month in anticipation of the extra properties that will be built in the expansive New Eastern Villages development.

Area manager for new business Paul Bosanko said: “We have identified significant opportunities such as the 8,000 new homes coming to Swindon.

“We believe this well-connected and fast-paced town has been under-served in recent years and is ready for a dynamic agency such as ours.

“It also provides a natural expansion for us along the M4 corridor, where we have already delivered significant success and complements our existing offices in Reading, Newbury and Thatcham, where we have seen substantial demand from customers moving in and out of Swindon.

“We aim to make a big impact on the local market and bring a large number of properties to market."

The new branch will see the company cover its eighth county in the UK and will offer a range of services including, sales, lettings, property management, commercial property, new homes and financial services.

Managing director Robert Scott-Lee said: “We’re excited to be launching Chancellors Swindon in 2020.

“The group is well positioned to bring our services to this new market after a positive 2019. The final quarter has seen an increase in new applicant registrations and viewings and encouraging signs of an improvement in the market.

“As an independent estate agent we have an enviable financial base on which to move our business forward. We’re still expanding and actively looking at new openings and acquisitions in strategic locations that complement our existing network.”

The estate agent describes its strategy as combining proactive-sales focused services with strong local knowledge through a large network of connected offices. The local model is supported by centralised marketing, technical and support functions to help its customers.