This capital investment programme of £150-£200m a year will also create 4,000 new jobs, the majority of which will be outside London and the South East.

New branches will be supported by distribution facilities to be opened or extended in Warrington, Leeds, Northampton, Coventry, Cardiff and Tilbury.

The expansion equates to nearly three new jobs a day at the business which presently employs more than 24,000 staff.

John Carter, Travis Perkins chief executive, said the recruitment programme would see a mix of 170 apprenticeships for younger people starting out every year, 200 branch managers and assistant managers a year, skilled IT professionals and supply chain specialists.

Travis Perkins boasts a network of almost 2,000 branches across the UK and 2014 revenues of £5.6bn.

He said: “Travis Perkins’ ability to create 4,000 new jobs reflects confidence in our businesses, the markets we operate in and the UK economy as whole.

“This confidence is supported by a number of actions taken by the Government over the past two years, including the new Help to Buy ISA announced yesterday, that are continuing to support construction activity and improvements in consumer confidence.

“We are making significant investments to improve our customer proposition and in our supply chain to offer superior ranges, availability and value propositions.”

It’s network expansion programme will involve Travis Perkins, Wickes, Toolstation, Benchmarx and in its Plumbing & Heating and Contracts divisions.