PERSIMMON, the York-based house builder has increased turnover by about 13 per cent to £805 million in the first half of the year.  In a trading update ahead of its half year results to June 30, Persimmon said weekly sales rates throughout the spring season were up by an average of about 18 per cent per site.

The company legally completed 4,712 new homes in the first six months of 2012, an increase of six per cent on 2011.

It said: "We have opened 65 new sites in the first half of the year and we are currently selling new homes from c. 375 sites.

"Visitor numbers to both the Persimmon Homes and Charles Church home finder web sites for the first six months are over 50 per cent stronger than for the previous year.  This reflects customers' growing preference to search for a new home using the internet and is driving healthy levels of visitors to our developments."

It said it expected to open a further 60 odd new sites during the second half of the year.