First buyer at The Bridge, Graham Stanborough (centre) with designers Gerardine (left) and Wayne (right) Hemingway

Sales of George Wimpey’s first phase of homes at The Bridge, Dartford, Kent, started with an overnight queue of buyers waiting for these contemporary European-style homes designed by Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway with Broadway Malyan. Twenty percent of the homes in phase one available for private sale were reserved in the first two days of the sales launch.

Lee Monk, sales and marketing manager from George Wimpey, South East, commented: “We are very pleased with the response from buyers. The Bridge offers a real community with some of the most innovative and appealing design and transport initiatives in the UK. A total of 33 reservations were taken on the first weekend, proving the appeal of this development.”

The first home at The Bridge was bought by Trowbridge resident, Graham Stanborough, who spent the night outside, waiting for the sales centre to open. “By 2009, The Bridge will be a 17 minute commute into London and just two hours away from Paris, reports Graham.

I was looking for a home within a half hour commute of central London in an area with growth potential. The fact that these homes have been designed to create a real community with a school and employment on site is very appealing. I’ve bought a one bedroom apartment and am looking forward to moving in before the end of the year.”

Designed to become a distinctive urban neighbourhood, the colour and texture of the external surfaces at The Bridge will give each home an individual identity. Landscaping is a top priority with Dutch ‘homezone’ principles being applied to the development to encourage the shared use of outside space.

The first phase includes 235 homes, close to the new two form entry school and community centre, all of which will receive EcoHomes 'good' ratings. There is a mix of 82 private one, two, and three bedroom apartments priced from £160,000 and 83 private two, three and four bedroom houses priced from £225,000, with completions expected from October 2007. Also available are 70 affordable homes, available through southeast-based housing associations Moat and Hyde.

Homes in the first phase can be purchased through the onsite sales centre, which is open seven days a week from 10 – 5pm. For more information on purchasing homes, please contact The Bridge on Tel: 0845 676 0121, Text: ‘bridge’ to 88800.