With the average house price in London at £356,209, buyers are turning to Kent for affordable new homes.

Karen Robbie and Ian Risden wanted to get a foot on the property ladder after they had their first child but needed to be close to their London jobs.

Now settling into their new home in Maidstone, Karen said: "Almost as soon as we started house hunting, we realised we would not be able to buy in London as everything was so expensive, and what we could afford was far too small.

"With our son Liam, now seven months old, we wanted a house we could grow into with a nice garden for him to play in, so we decided to look outside London for something we could afford.

"We needed an easy commute into the capital so decided to look in Kent. My parents live there so that was obviously a bonus, but it is also incredibly convenient for London."

Karen and Ian found their ideal house on Antler Homes’ Bishop’s Field development in Maidstone. Their three bedroom end terrace house is off Postley Road, in a secluded cul-de-sac.

Karen continues: "It was the kitchen that clinched it for me. It was the first room we looked at and everything was so smart and new that I just knew it was the house for me. We weren’t planning to buy a newly built property but we immediately realised the benefits.

"Ian and I are both terrible at DIY and doing work on a house is not ideal with a baby. This way we could move straight in without so much as lifting a paintbrush! It’s such a lovely place with a great community atmosphere, and a lot less stressful than London."

Bishop’s Field comprises 49 two, three and four bedroom homes and apartments. The development combines both modern and traditional architecture. Many of the properties have timber framing which adds a unique style to the development.

Each home has a luxury custom built kitchen fitted with a range of integral appliances, including a Siemens stainless steel gas hob and oven, fridge-freezer, a dishwasher and a washing machine.

Prices start from £179,950 for a two-bedroom apartment, from £289,950 for a three-bedroom semi detached house, from £287,500 for a four-bedroom semi detached house and from £339,950 for a four-bedroom detached house. The marketing suite and show home are open between 10am and 5pm. Call 01622 600 110 or visit www.antlerhomes.co.uk for more information.