Kent is a great combination of lush countryside, thriving market towns and commuter convenience. And its wide choice of new homes includes everything from roomy family houses to luxury apartments, finds Johnny Turner.
Kent is both well connected and cosy, offering easy and convenient access to London and a green and pleasant environment in which to live. Historically, residents such as Churchill and Dickens have been won over by the combination of natural beauty and proximity to the busy, buzzy capital. Those who wish to take advantage of this unique county will find some fantastic new property options, with both new homes and redevelopments on the agenda for prospective buyers this year.
Starting in Faversham, Crest Nicholson is offering purchasers at its Kings Chase scheme a special five per cent deposit paid offer combined with legal fees and free carpets on selected three-bedroom houses. The development, located in this popular market town, consists of 70 two- and three-bedroom houses.
Homes at Kings Chase boast high levels of design and are tailored to contemporary living. Kitchens and dining areas are open-plan, which makes for a relaxing living space, and all kitchens are fully fitted and feature a comprehensive range of Seimens appliances.
Faversham is a historic medieval market town which has a wide variety of good shopping as well as convenient commuter links to London, surrounding towns and even the Continent.
The offer is subject to terms and conditions and is only available for a limited period. Prices start from £169,995 for a two-bedroom house and range up to £265,000 for a three-bedroom town house. For more information contact the marketing suite on 0870 750 2750 or visit crestnicholson.com.
Langley Waterside in Beckenham is an exclusive and tranquil lakeside village next to a nature reserve, offering a wide range of home types built around tree-lined avenues and fountained courtyards. The scheme is designed to preserve and enhance the natural environment, which lends added quality of life to the residents, who include families, empty nesters and downsizers.
A local primary school has just opened on site and there is secure car parking on the 16,000 sq ft grounds. Water features are plentiful; they include fountains, a canal and a large natural lake. To the south the site in bounded by the River Beck.
The development is both peaceful and connected, as Beckenham has good access to both road and rail. The nearest train station is Eden Park, which offers services to Waterloo taking approximately half an hour. Bromley and Crystal Palace town centres are also near Beckenham, and central London, Croydon and the M25 are all easily accessible.
Prices for the luxury apartments at Langley Waterside start at £549,995. For further information contact the sales office, open daily from 10am to 5pm, on 020 8658 7861 or visit laing-homes.co.uk.
RPC Land & New Homes announces the release of a superb development of just three five-bedroom detached homes close to Meopham, an attractive village in the beautiful North Downs. These brand new properties, built by Chapelwood Homes, will appeal to the discerning purchaser who is looking for a substantial detached house with excellent living and entertaining accommodation. Each home boasts an impressive front entrance, spacious hallways, and a superbly fitted kitchens with granite worktops and integrated appliances. There is a breakfast area leading into the conservatory/family room, a drawing room with Inglenook fireplace and double doors leading out to the patio, and a separate laundry room. Both the master and guest bedrooms have en suites, and there is a further family bathroom. These homes are truly unique.
Meopham is a typical Kentish village with village green, parish church, local pubs and shops and everything the country resident needs. Transport is extremely convenient; mainline stations at Meopham and Sole Street offer quick, frequent services into London Victoria. There is also easy access to both the A2 and A20/M20 motorways, which connect car users to the coast and London.
Plot 2 has just been released at a price of £675,000. Call RPC Land & New Homes on 01322 228891.
Also on sale through RPC is The Chenies, off Chancery Lane in Maidstone. These 14 two-bedroom apartments and seven two-bedroom duplex apartments, by Da Vinci Properties, are sensitively situated next to a nature reserve, which lends a new dimension to town centre living.
Ground-floor and first-floor apartments are currently available, priced between £161,950 and £166,950. Both are spacious, with a lounge, en suite shower room to master bedroom and a main bathroom. Find out more by calling RPC on 01622 691911 or 01732 363633.
Bromley House, in the heart of Bromley, is a contemporary development comprising 25 homes arranged over four floors. Seven two-bedroom apartments are currently available for sale, offering carefully designed interiors, a spacious open-plan sitting room adjoining a custom-built kitchen, and an en suite shower room as well as a bathroom.
Technology includes satellite connections and data sockets, which have been installed to allow links to broadband telephone and internet services. Security is high, with residents’ own electronic pass keys, CCTV and underground car parking.
Bromley has a wide range of cafés, bars, restaurants, shopping and leisure. There are also quick commuter links to London Cannon Street from Bromley North station, which is only 200 yards away, while trains from Bromley South, a half-mile away, has fast and frequent services to Victoria.
The apartments are available from £215,000, including stamp duty. Contact Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward on 020 8460 6066.
Over half the homes have been sold at CALA’s Norfolk Grange in Tunbridge Wells. Situated between Church Road and York Road in the heart of the town centre, the development will comprise three buildings, called Villas, Heights and Mews, and will feature two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments as well as two three-bedroom, three-bathroom penthouses. The apartments offer spacious interiors, a secure environment and a peaceful setting, which has meant interest has been high from all types of prospective buyers, including young professionals, empty-nesters and downsizers. Homes are high-spec, with elegant ceramic floor tiling, modern granite kitchen worktops, downlighters and other contemporary touches.
‘The response we have received has been fantastic,’ says Philip Brown, sales and marketing director of CALA Homes (South). ‘There is just so much to see at Norfolk Grange and visitors are recognising that is stands out from the rest when they visit the two show homes now available.’
Trains from Tunbridge Wells station mean that London is only 53 minutes away, making the location ideal for those who work in the capital but would rather live outside the hustle and bustle.
Prices for apartments start from £299,950. Find out more about Norfolk Grange by visiting the show homes, located two doors away at 18 Church Road and open daily from 11am to 5pm, or calling 01892 614238.
The ‘wow’ factor is alive and well in Southborough, as Millwood Designer Homes has recently introduced Manor Fields, a select development located on a private road on the border with Bidborough. The scheme consists of two five-bedroom detached family homes, eight two- and three-bedroom apartments and two three-bedroom penthouses, all of which have upped the luxury factor.
The specification is very impressive, as are the stunning views over the Southborough Valley. Alno kitchens have modern stainless steel appliances and stylish tiling from Porcelanosa, while the houses and penthouses also offer granite work surfaces.
Prices for the two-bedroom apartments start at £270,000, while the three-bedroom apartments begin at £330,000 and the five-bedroom detached houses are priced from £799,950. Book an appointment to visit the new view home by calling selling agent James Millard on 01732 834835. Also visit Millwood’s website at mdh.uk.com.
Bryant Homes is following up previous successes in Orpington with the new Oaklands development, which offers 49 two-, three- and four-bedroom homes.
The homes will suit a range of buyers, says John Inglis, regional sales and marketing director of Bryant Homes. ‘We’ve had a high level of interest in Oaklands and believe it will be ideal for families or for those commuters looking to be close to the train station and an excellent range of amenities.’
Orpington has a thriving town centre with a plethora of high street shops and a great selection of pubs, bars and restaurants. Orpington station is approximately one mile away and the journey into central London takes about half an hour. Meanwhile, drivers will appreciate the straightforward links to the nearby M25 and M20 motorways which give easy access to Gatwick Airport and the Channel Tunnel.
Prices for the first release of three- and four-bedroom houses start at £299,950. Get more information by visiting the marketing suite, located on Sevenoaks Road and open Thursdays to Mondays, or phone 01689 875281.
Finally, Berkeley Homes is selling the award-winning Vermont house type at its Leybourne Lakes development near West Malling. The four-bedroom Vermont has been singled out for its innovative design and its use of ‘New England’-style touches such as Kent-lapped timber elevations.
Internally, the layout is practical to suit modern life, while the balconies to all floors create a sense of light and space. The stunning double-height master bedroom has wowed prospective buyers and competition judges alike.
Prices for the Vermont at Leybourne Lakes start at £374,950. For further information contact the marketing suite on 01622 791723.