Results for the year to June 30 2012 show profit after tax up to £3.6m from £1.6m last time as turnover stayed steady at £41.9m.

Gleeson has also been on a recruiting spree with the number of employees hitting 166 in June compared to 130 a year before.

Gleeson sold 279 homes last year at an average price of £118,000 and is currently working on 27 sites across the north of England with just one in the south.

The firm said: “The business unit is continuing to take advantage of reduced land prices in the North of England to build up a substantially enlarged landbank.

“During the year, 16 sites were purchased and subsequent to the year end a further 4 sites have been acquired.  These acquisitions have added 1,687 plots to the land bank.

“A further 13 sites that have been conditionally purchased are expected to add in excess of 1,079 plots to the landbank in the near future.

“When and if these acquisitions are completed, the landbank will total in excess of 3,790 plots.”

Chairman Dermot Gleeson said: “The Group enjoys a very strong and competitive presence in the two sectors of the market on which it now concentrates: low cost housing development on brown field sites in the North of England; and the promotion through the planning system and subsequent sale of high value green field sites in the South.

“The Board is confident that, barring a further severe downturn in the UK economy generally, the Group will continue to grow profits in the current year and beyond.