The first residents of a new housing estate in the Ribble Valley have collected their keys.

Retired NHS worker Debra Smith and her partner Geoff Smith were the first residents to move into a new home at Linden Homes’ Olive Farm development in Coupe Green.

The couple who relocated to be closer to their daughter, as well as their son in law and recently born grandson, were particularly impressed by the location of the new home.

Geoff said: “We were looking to relocate close to our daughter and her family and we particularly liked this area and the surrounding countryside. The site has great access to open fields and there are lots of well-known shops only a short car ride away, plus the people have been all been friendly which makes us feel at home here.”

Debra and Geoff, who moved in this summer, were also equally attracted by the design and size of the house which made Olive Farm an appealing option to them.

The state has 24 three bedroomed houses and 16 four bedroomed houses for sale on the estate which is still under development.

Debra said: “The design of the modern houses was a major attraction to us as you benefit from the latest energy-efficient products and materials.

"We also love the way the house flows, especially in the entrance and hallway as it makes the house feel much larger than it actually is.

"It certainly makes the house feel more spread out than other estates we looked at, and the garden seems really generous as well.”

After completing the purchase of their property, the new homeowners also took time to express their gratitude to Linden Homes’ sales team who helped the couple throughout the buying process.

In total, Linden Homes is selling 40 homes at their Olive Farm site north of Methuen Drive, Hoghton, while a further 30 homes will be available for affordable rent through local housing association Together Housing.