HEWORTH has always been one of our favourite spots in the York area. It might not be as ‘uber-trendy’ as the Sunday Times made famous Clementhorpe but it has a nice, welcoming ‘village feel’ and has a good mix of housing stock.

A stock that is to be considerably improved soon by two super smart new developments.

The first of these, Heworth Parade, in Mill Lane, a collection of eight elegant-looking new properties, is particularly interesting.

Because, if you get in reasonably quickly, you could have a big say in the layout of your new home…

Manor House Developments, the company behind the project, have put together a series of alternative choices to the way in which the three-storey houses will be set out.

Buyers will have the opportunity to choose from four different layouts for the ground and first floors – as well as selecting from several kitchen and bathroom options.

Here are some examples of what we mean…

On the ground floor you could opt for a large open plan kitchen/diner/family room and a study/television room. Then you would have your living room and a bedroom with en-suite shower room on the first floor.

Or you could have the same layout on the ground floor but with two bedrooms and a ‘Jack and Jill’ bathroom on the first floor.

Or you could opt for the more traditional layout of ground floor lounge with a separate kitchen and two bedrooms (or one bedroom and sitting room) and bathroom on the first floor.

In all cases the ground and first floor layouts will also have two bedrooms and a bathroom to an impressively-sized second floor.

It’s a tremendous opportunity presented by the individual and versatile layouts of the layout options.

But this development is not just about the choice of layout, impressive as that offer is.

These are set to be superb homes with a huge amount of charm and character, combining traditional period styles with very up-to-the-moment contemporary comforts including folding doors opening onto a rear garden, a fair-sized balcony leading off one of the first floor rooms, engineered oak flooring on the ground floor and luxury kitchen and bathroom fittings.

The houses are also designed to be very eco-friendly, too, with whole house heat recovery, triple glazing and enhanced insulation, rainwater harvesting and solar panels.

Work has begun on site so it might be worth moving quickly to make the most of the opportunities here.

Each of the eight homes have been priced at £395,000 and are being jointly marketed by Lancaster Samms (01904 500455) and Naish (01904 653564)

Meanwhile the second new homes development in Heworth has already proven a winner. Before the foundations have even been laid two out of the three homes available in Minster Walk, tucked away off Heworth Green, have been sold.

Built by Alcuin Homes, this exclusive set of three homes not only look smart externally but have been beautifully designed internally…

The one remaining home is, like its neighbours, a brilliantly bright property – not least because of a very cleverly designed first floor viewing platform which dances light into the open plan kitchen/dining/family area below. There’s even more light provided by both French and bi-fold doors out to the enclosed south-facing garden.

The ground floor also has a study and utility and cloak rooms.

Upstairs, the master bedroom has a smart en-suite and two other double bedrooms share a house bathroom.

A super home, then, in a good spot – priced at £425,000. Further details from Lancaster Samms (01904 500455).