Persimmon is to buy Westbury in a £643 million deal that will create Britain's biggest housebuilder. The 560p a share takeover will send Persimmon into the FTSE 100 and the company plans to build 16,700 homes in the year to December 2006. Persimmon chief executive John White said: "I think a number of companies in terms of turnover and unit sales will look at this deal and begin to examine their own business and strategy in the light of the current market. I do think that some of the smaller builders will find it increasingly difficult to compete." A Westbury spokesman said: "There is a lot of premature comment coming out about people losing their jobs, but the offer still has to go to our shareholders. We have advised them to accept, but the process takes weeks, so Persimmon won't take control until the New Year."