Edinburgh-based firm says house sales for 2010 are up on last year and construction arm has 'good margins'

Miller Group has revealed it already has 拢108m of house sales lined up for 2010, double the advance sales it had ahead of 2009.

The Edinburgh-based firm released an interim trading statement that showed the forward sales were 拢108m compared with 拢53m in 2009.

It also announced plans to develop 10 sites in 2010, compared with seven developed in 2009. Miller described the situation as 鈥渆ncouraging鈥.

Its construction arm was also optimistic. The report claimed that the firm had maintained 鈥済ood margins鈥 as it struck a balance between private and public sector work, focusing on partnering and framework agreements.

The report continued: 鈥淲e anticipate the market will continue to be uncertain with mortgage shortages and the potential impact of increasing unemployment. We have, however, performed well in a turbulent economic environment and the early actions we took to rationalise our cost base have proved timely.鈥