THE main contractor has been appointed to build 575 new homes and commercial premises at Merrick Place, Southall, in a deal worth £157m.

The Countryside Partnerships site is a former light industrial area, next to Southall railway station and 10  minutes’ walk from the Broadway shopping centre.

It will be a car-free zone, featuring 926 designated spaces for cycle parking and two dedicated servicing bays.

The frontage will include a communal garden and play areas.