People queued up to make sure they could get the home they wanted as north Kent becomes an increasingly attractive place to buy.

The Messenger reported recently that Dartford has become the fastest place to sell a property in Britain, and earlier this year people were camping out for days to get their hands on a sought-after new build home.

Now a new phase of homes has hit the market, and once more, people queued up to buy.

Bellway’s St Clements Lakes development in London Road, Greenhithe, saw more than half of its three and four bedroom houses sold over the first two days of its launch. Prices start from £374,995.

There are 47 properties in the first phase, but around 25 have already gone. They are expected to all be built by the end of this year.

When the second and final phase is complete there will be around 350 homes on the site, including some two-bedroom flats. They should be finished in 2019.

Greenhithe itself has seen a 20% increase in property values over the past five years, with good transport links to London and Bluewater on its doorstep.

Peter Knights, sales director for Bellway Homes Thames Gateway, said: “With such fast rising property prices in Dartford, it is clear why we’ve seen such success in neighbouring Greenhithe.

“We had a very busy weekend with the new phase, with lots of buyers keen to take advantage of the area’s recent surge. And with a stylish new show home to view now too, we don’t anticipate that the remaining homes will be around for long.”

Once completed St Clements, in a lakeside setting, will have play areas, lawns and a central square.

Persimmon Homes has also this month put in a planning application to Sevenoaks council to convert United House – an industrial and office block – in Goldsel Road, Swanley into 185 new homes with associated parking.

On March 5, a new development of 400 homes hit the market. Weston Homes launched Langley Square, a new “garden village” on the former Wellcome Pharmaceutical site, a large Victorian medicine factory near Dartford railway station.

In Southfleet a development of 32 luxury homes are also selling well.

There are only five left as the remainder have been bought or reserved. Two will be ready this spring, and a further three in the summer.

Millwood Designer Homes is building a mix of terraced, semi-detached and detached homes and has converted an oast house into a pair of semi-detached homes.

Philip Brown, sales director said: “It is clear that there is a strong demand for homes in the countryside. With such good connections to the city, The Vale really is a development that offers the best of both worlds.”

Prices start at £535,000 for a three bedroom semi-detached home.