THIS week’s new homes column comes with the benefit of very definite first-hand experience.

In the week we planned to report on the next phase of the ground-breaking Hungate development in York city centre we moved into an apartment… in Hungate.

And from that apartment we have a view of exactly where the new phase of homes is being built (we couldn’t actually get much closer).

We will get to the pros and cons of city centre living in a moment but we should start with the where, what and how much basics… Hungate phase two, like the existing phase one, will occupy a spot inside the city walls, with, depending where you buy, riverside or cityscape views (we can see the Minster from our windows).

There will be 195 new apartments in phase two, part of a mixed use project headed by Hungate Regeneration, a joint venture between property and infrastructure group Land Lease and the Evans property group. These homes will range from some studio apartments, to the numerical majority two-bedroomed properties, to a smaller number of three-bedroomed apartments. They will spread upwards from ground floor to top-floor penthouses.

Prices will range from £115,000 for a studio flat to £385,000 for a three-bedroomed apartment.

As with phase one, the emphasis is very much on eco-living with “sustainable building practices and innovations” to keep energy costs to a minimum.

There will be a high spec on all apartments, with top quality fittings throughout living, dining, sleeping and bathroom areas (if the quality of the fittings and finish is as good as we enjoy then that will be one promise definitely realised).

And most of all, of course, there will be the excitement of city centre living in an area that is being revitalised by the innovative Hungate Regeneration project (which in time, probably when phase three arrives, is intended to include European-style café plazas).

As Richard Cook, Lend Lease’s head of residential, says: “The central location of these homes will see residents enjoy fantastic views of the river and the historic city.”

The homes have been designed to be sympathetic to the surrounding city, with high quality finishes and manicured landscapes.”

So, if you are considering buying into this particular city centre apartment lifestyle what do you need to think about?

Well, as with anywhere, there are pros and cons.

The biggest “con” for us is that we are living in the middle of not one but two building sites as work takes place on Hungate phase two to one side and a major new office development to the other – but of course by the time you move into your new pad in phase two you won’t have that problem!

If you are downsizing (and we have just moved from a three-storey Victorian house) then you need to be aware of the impact the change in space will make to your lives and be prepared to shed - as in throw out or give away - a lot of the clutter you will have accumulated over the years.

Although, that said, we were pleasantly surprised by just how much storage space we found and how much we managed to stash away in the many fitted wardrobes and cupboards.

Also, unless you get on very, very well as a couple my advice would be to definitely go for a two-bedroomed apartment because cooking, dining and living in one room means you are living in constant close proximity – that second bedroom gives you the option of creating an extra “escape from it all” living/working space.

You should also be ready to accept that you will not have as much outside space as you have been used to if you have been living in a home with a garden – while each of the apartments will have balconies they are not quite as private or as flexible as an actual garden.

But then you do have a great outside world on your doorstep. And one of the definite “pros” of Hungate is that it is growing an almost “village” atmosphere of its own – helped, we should say by having the excellent Black Swan pub as a local.

And, of course, you will also have the whole of York on your doorstep to discover your own favourite bars, restaurants and city centre hotspots.

All in all – definitely more pros than cons.

• For more information on the Hungate Development visit the marketing office on site, call 01904 676797 or visit hungatesales@landlease.com