SOUND-proofed 'silent walls' and extra-strong plasterboard are being introduced by a Penrith-based housebuilder.

Cumbrian Homes has teamed up with British Gypsum to offer innovative new products that improve the build quality of walls and make DIY tasks easier.

The developer is building at Carleton Manor Park, Penrith, and Otter's Holt, Culgaith.

Among the new products being used by Cumbrian Homes are Gyproc Habito plasterboard, which features an engineered core to provide enhanced levels of strength, durability and flexibility.

Home owners can fix heavy items such as bookshelves, curtain poles and TVs to the walls much more easily, as the strength of the plasterboard means they can simply screw straight into the wall, without the need for drills or specialist fixings.

Buyers can also choose to create sound-proofed 'silent walls' in rooms of their choice, to ensure a peaceful night's sleep, a quiet home office space, or to mask noise from loud hobbies.

Nigel Pallister, managing director of Cumbrian Homes, said: "When we opened the show home and saw the reaction to the products, we knew we’d made the right choice partnering with British Gypsum."