AN architects practice which employs about 100 people in the region is celebrating the success of its first project on the Indian sub-continent.

RyderHKS, which has offices in Newcastle, has been involved in a £20m housing project in Bangalore, southern India.

On the day of the launch, all 500 homes on the 16-acre brownfield site were snapped up -before they have even been built.

The development is expected to be complete by April 2008 and will include more than 900 apartments, together with leisure and commercial facilities.

Graeme Phillips, RyderHKS architect for the scheme, said: "The Gardens is a major residential complex covering a large area.

"We are delighted with the response from potential residents and investors, who snapped up every single home released in the first phase, and while the project is still at the foundation stage."

RyderHKS employs 700 staff at its offices in Newcastle, London and Dallas, in the US.