In the country – village and rural new-build homes in the South East

New-build property developments in rural locations are understandably popular with homebuyers. Many housebuilders are enticing buyers by combining the advantages of new-build homes (e.g. the latest construction and environmental standards, modern styling, flexibility of living space) with a setting in the unique beauty of the English countryside.

The south east of England is blessed with many such idyllic settings, and there is a surprising range of property available, from modest apartments to deluxe family homes. Particularly popular are schemes that offer the chance to appreciate the beauty of the location without detracting from it, achieved through careful landscaping and use of appropriate architectural styles and materials. Buyers looking for a new home in the countryside right now have got some exceptional properties to choose from.

Pavilion Place, a Ward Homes development, has a selection of spacious three- and four-bedroom houses available priced from £249,995. Set in the Kent countryside, the village of Snodland, around eight miles northwest of Maidstone, offers immediate access to the hills, woods and lakes of the surrounding area. It makes an ideal location for family homebuyers, with a number of good local schools at nursery, primary and secondary levels and plenty of local amenities. The village also has its own railway station, with regular services to Maidstone, Tonbridge and Strood, for connections to London.

In common with Pavilion Place, Halstead Place sees Ward Homes providing new-build family homes in the Kent countryside. The emphasis here is on luxury and excellence, with an idyllic 22-acre parkland setting for just 33 houses, of which just a handful remain for sale. Reflecting the exclusive nature of this development, prices range from £774,995 to £949,995 for these extensive four- and five-bedroom detached properties in Halstead, a village notable for being the home of children's author E Nesbit. The scheme benefits from seclusion and excellent views of the countryside in which it is nestled. The Sevenoaks area is well served for schools, shopping and restaurants as well as numerous golf courses, leisure facilities and interesting historic sites.

In Takeley, situated west of Dunmow in Essex, David Wilson Homes' The Hornbeams development has just two detached, five-bedroom properties currently unsold. The village is in the heart of the north Essex countryside, perfect for homebuyers looking for a rural setting, but convenient for the extensive amenities on offer at Bishop's Stortford and Chelmsford, both just a few miles away. Jetsetters might also benefit from the proximity of Stansted Airport, just a few miles west of Takeley. The remaining houses are priced at £489,995 to £499,995 respectively.

There's just one home left at Oakford Homes' Centurion Fields community in Mid Lavant in West Sussex. Set in the Sussex Downs, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this village offers an exceptional setting in one of the South East's best-loved rural landscapes. Potential buyers will also appreciate that they are ideally placed to take full advantage of the beaches of the south coast and nearby Chichester's harbour, as well as the city's many cultural, leisure and retail options. The last three-bedroom end-of-terrace home at Centurion Fields is for sale at £329,500.

Weston Homes is offering a range of luxury homes at Mayfield Grange near Mayfield, East Sussex, six miles south of Royal Tunbridge Wells, benefiting from a lovely 20-acre rural setting, exclusive facilities and wonderful views of the surrounding countryside. Two-bedroom apartments, some set in the restored Victorian Gothic Great Hall, retaining many original features, and some new-build, provide an array of choice for buyers in terms of floor-space, styling and facilities, to suit budgets from £325,000 to £599,950. Those looking for a larger home have a number of newly built, sympathetically styled, spacious four- and five-bedroom homes to choose from, priced from £825,000 to £950,000.