The job losses will be concentrated in back-office operations like IT and finance.

The redundancies will see the current 3,500-strong workforce reduced to 3,300 as the merged business now trades under the Keepmoat brand.

Ian Sutcliffe, Keepmoat Chief Executive, said: “There have been 200 redundancies as a result of the integration process between Apollo and the Keepmoat Group of companies.

“The merger resulted in duplication in areas such as IT, finance and corporate support at Keepmoat’s headquarters in Doncaster and the Apollo base in Essex. The changes were to make the business both lean and fit for growth.

“Through the heritage of the well-respected and individual brands we have created a market leading company with a national reach. Apollo helped to strengthen Keepmoat’s maintenance capabilities in the north and Keepmoat boosted Apollo’s new build offering in the south.

“The new, single brand symbolises that Keepmoat is now one business, with one identity. As a £1billion turnover company, Keepmoat is a major player in the UK.

“We have developed a business strategy focused around our four core offerings, which means we can work with our partners and local authorities to create bespoke solutions to their housing and regeneration needs.

“I don’t think it’s unrealistic to think we could double the size of the business to a £2 billion turnover company in the next five years.”