KING Harold must have had a soft spot for Stamford Bridge. It was, after all, where he saw off Harald Hardrada and his pesky Norse invaders.

It’s still a favoured place today, in fact even more so now thanks to David Wilson’s new Saxon Gate development – surely a homage to the great victory.

The company calls them statement homes, with good reason. Built to the highest of industry standards and backed by an award-winning team, these carefully designed and constructed properties exude quality and workmanship.

Saxon Gate is a collection of three, four and five bedroom houses that centre on modern family living, boasting spacious, open-plan rooms and luxuriously appointed en suites.

Sophisticated living with modern comfort is the key phrase here, due to generously proportioned and flowing interiors, not to mention elegant staircases that lead to light and airy bedrooms.

We’ll begin with The Archford. Priced from £239,995, the first thing you notice about this contemporary three-bedroom home is natural light streaming into the spacious lounge from the large downstairs bay window. That’s a very good start.

The good news continues upstairs, where you’ll find the master bedroom with a spacious en suite, a second double bedroom, generous single bedroom and a modern family bathroom.

For families looking to take the next step on the property ladder The Holden should be on your shortlist. Starting at £399,995, this is an excellent solution with four roomy bedrooms and a bright kitchen that integrates dining and cooking with its open plan downstairs space. There’s also a separate study and utility room.

The spacious bedrooms, include a master with en suite shower room, two further double bedrooms, a single bedroom and a superb family bathroom with separate shower.

Then, there is The Winstone, currently the largest home on the development, making it a superb choice for larger families.

This beautiful detached property, priced from £459,995, boasts an impressive entrance hall that flows into the open-plan kitchen, breakfast and family area, which in turn leads onto the garden.

The Winstone also has the benefit of a separate, formal bay-fronted dining room, spacious study and lounge with French doors.

Upstairs, the master bedroom features a stunning dressing area and full en suite. It is accompanied by three further double bedrooms, a second en suite and a luxurious family bathroom.

Sarah Hanna, sales manager at Saxon Gate, says one of the benefits of buying a new home is the opportunity to stamp your own mark on a blank canvas.

“We’ll work with you at various stages of the build to ensure you have the fixtures, fittings, design features and finishes to suit your needs,” says Ms Hanna.

“We also help you to select a coherent design scheme from a varied palette of the latest collection of modern, contemporary or traditional interior stylings that works in harmony with your lifestyle, to turn your new house into your perfect home.”

Ms Hanna says that David Wilson Homes’ dedication to quality is the DNA that flows through every aspect of its service to deliver beautiful new homes.

This is no idle boast. Saxon Gate site manager, Ben Waines, has recently been awarded the prestigious NHBC Pride in the Job Award, which recognises those who achieve the highest standard in housebuilding.

Ben’s prestigious award represents just one of many that David Wilson Homes has won throughout the year. Indeed the House Builders Federation (HBF) has awarded the housebuilder a five-star rating for customer satisfaction, for the eighth year running and that is more than any other national housebuilder.

Moving to Saxon Gate couldn’t be easier thanks to David Wilson Homes schemes such as help-to-buy and part exchange.

And when you consider this development’s stunning views across the local landscape as well as all the amenities close by, coupled with Stamford Bridge’s reputation as a place with real sense of community, you, like King Harold, 1,000 years ago, will undoubtedly develop a soft spot for this place, just east of York.

* For more information go to www.dwh.co.uk/saxongate or phone 01759 372591.

Saxon Gate is open Monday, 12.30pm to 5.30pm, and Thursday to Sunday, 10am to 5.30pm, with The Holden and The Winstone show homes both open to view.