House-hunters in County Durham looking for a high-quality new home in a picturesque location are spoilt for choice.

Five-star housebuilder Bellway Durham is offering a wide selection of superb properties at developments in two sought-after villages near Darlington.

Meadow Rise is a collection of three and four-bedroom detached houses in Heighington, a nationally acclaimed village around six miles north of the town. Prices currently start from £244,995.

Meanwhile, just four miles south of Darlington, Bellway is building a range of three, four and five-bedroom homes in Hurworth, an attractive settlement on the banks of the River Tees. Prices currently start from £299,995 for a four-bedroom house.

Debbie Foster, Head of Sales for Bellway Durham, said: “These two developments boast five-star homes in desirable locations which offer the perfect balance between town and country living.

“Buyers will enjoy the benefits of a peaceful village setting coupled with practical close-to-town convenience. Both villages have easy access to the A1, are close to railway stations and are just a short drive away from Teesside International Airport.

“As well as having an array of town centre shops, cafes, restaurants, leisure and entertainment facilities within easy reach, residents at Meadow Rise and Hurworth Gardens will also have acres of beautiful countryside on their doorstep and a wide range of well-regarded schools to choose from.”

The Northern Echo:

Meadow Rise offers housebuyers the opportunity to live in a place named ‘the perfect village’ in the BBC TV series of the same name. A picture postcard village green, a popular village hall and a Grade I listed church are all part of Heighington’s enduring appeal.

Darlington town centre is a 15-minute drive down the A68, while Heighington railway station is less than two miles away.

Hurworth Gardens, off Roundhill Road, in Hurworth, is also perfectly positioned for commuters. Darlington railway station, which has regular services to Durham, Newcastle, Edinburgh, York and Leeds, is just a five-minute drive away, while easy access to the A66 means it’s only a 30-minute journey to Middlesbrough by car.

Hurworth boasts a village store, a selection of restaurants and traditional pubs and is also home to Rockliffe Hall, a luxury hotel which includes an award-winning spa, fine dining restaurants and an 18-hole championship golf course.

The Northern Echo:

Buyers at Meadow Rise and Hurworth Gardens can get a helping hand into their new home with Help to Buy and Bellway’s Express Mover scheme.

With Express Mover, Bellway works with a local estate agent to market a customer’s existing house, paying their estate agent fees in the process.

Help to Buy enables to purchasers to secure a new home with a five per cent deposit and 75 per cent mortgage. The remaining 20 per cent is provided as an equity loan which is interest free for the first five years.

Bellway has a five-star rating with the Home Builders Federation (HBF), which means that more than nine out of ten customers would recommend the housebuilder to a friend.

For more information on the homes available, call 01325 271 965 for Meadow Rise, 01325 271 956 for Hurworth Gardens, or visit bellway.co.uk.