The first stage of the New Bolton Woods development began in earnest this week with the start of groundwork for 46 homes.

Developer Skipton Properties is starting work on its site The Poplars, off Poplars Park Road, which will have two, three and four-bedroom homes.

And its marketing director Caroline Verity revealed there is already interest in the range of stone and brick properties which will be in a contemporary style.

“We’ve already had someone asking about buying a four-bedroom house before exact details have been released,” Miss Verity said yesterday beside diggers at the site.

The Poplars is part of the wider £250m Shipley and Canal Road Corridor Action Plan which aims to create an “urban village” of more than 1,000 homes complete with public spaces, play areas and shops.

To add to the village identity, there will even be a cricket pitch as a focal point for the community.

And Bradford Council hopes the area will become an ‘exemplar urban eco development’ by 2028.

A spokesman for Skipton Properties said the end result would be an exciting new living environment.

“As well as new homes, retail opportunities and offices, the area will see investment in sporting and leisure facilities all connected by a green corridor with homes built to a high standard with a quality specification,” she said.

Sarah Barraclough, sales director at Skipton Properties, said: “We’re pleased to be building at Bolton Woods and to be a part of the wider plan to further the economy in the area and provide the new homes West Yorkshire needs. The construction industry has shown much improvement over the past year, specifically helped by the Government scheme, Help to Buy, which has allowed more of our customers to access the mortgage they need to buy a new home.

“This has meant we are able to move on to new sites faster and employ more people to complete the task.”