WORK to complete the Belgrave Heights housing development is to restart in the New Year after a delay of more than 18 months.

Liverpool-based McInerney Homes started construction on the former site of Belgrave Mill in September 2006.

So far, 44 of the 135 homes set to be built on the site have been completed.

The work ground to a halt in July 2008 because of the troubled finanical climate, but the company said it was confident of completion in 2010.

Stephen Grant, marketing and sales director for McInerney Homes North West, says: “We're absolutely committed to completing Belgrave Heights and have invested a great deal in the remediation of the site, which is all set for creating the extension to our already established community of 45 finished new homes.

“We will build another 90 homes and aim to be back selling early in 2010, as we hope to see a change in the market with mortgage lending criteria easing and house prices reported to be continuing to rise”