Historic, inviting and green as green can be, the South East of England takes in many of the country’s most desirable places to live. But what is it like to live here, and what can the property market provide? Read on, as we display the best new build homes for sale in the South East of England, according to HomeViews reviewers.
What does the South East of England cover?
The South East of England is the third-largest official region in England, one of the nine that make up the country. It takes in nine counties – Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex. Together, these make up a broad ‘boot’ shape, where the Isle of Wight is the heel and Kent is the toe.
Major towns and cities in the region include Canterbury, Brighton, Milton Keynes, Southampton, Portsmouth, Reading and Oxford.
New build homes for sale in the South East of England: Top 10 developments
If the thought of living in this prime part of the UK appeals, then take a closer look. The following new build developments in the South East of England are ranked entirely according to their review scores from verified residents. This shows off the current state of new build home quality and availability in some of the best towns and cities in the region.
This list also discounts developments that are ‘rental only’. These are developments with units specifically for sale.
*PLEASE NOTE these rankings take into account how many reviews a scheme has and how recently those reviews have been submitted, so may not match the overall star ratings shown. Buildings with a larger number of more recent reviews are given a greater weighting to reflect current building performance.
Well deserved top spot goes to L&Q at Huntley Wharf, a collection of riverside 1 and 2-bedroom Shared Ownership apartments and duplex apartments in the prosperous commuter town of Reading. The development will compliment the transformation of Reading as an urban hub, providing contemporary riverside apartments to this evolving town. Huntley Wharf will provide a new destination for central Reading featuring a central riverside square with proposed local amenities such as a café, restaurant, a local store, gym, nursery and landscaped open spaces along the river. The apartments will provide a desirable specification, making it the perfect space for modern day living.
Read reviews and details of L&Q at Huntley Wharf, RG1Sitting in second is Primrose Crescent, a small development of new homes set in the Buckinghamshire community of Wingrave. This development offers the ideal blend of semi-rural life in the Aylesbury Vale, combined with the convenience of easily accessible local towns and connectivity for commuting by road or rail. There’s a great collection of 3 to 5 bedroom homes on offer here.
Read reviews and details of Primrose Crescent, HP22Next it’s over to the centre of Horsham to find The Paperyard in third place. The development comprises one and two bedroom apartments. This location not only boasts fantastic shopping, dining and entertainment facilities but excellent transport links. Horsham train station is a few minutes’ walk with trains to London in under 50 minutes, whilst both Gatwick Airport and Brighton are less than half an hour’s drive away.
Read reviews and details of The Paperyard, RH12Cranleigh Grange is a development of energy-efficient two, three and four bedroom homes and one bedroom apartments in the Surrey village of Cranleigh near Guildford, and it’s our current number four top-ranked development for the region.
One 5-star review calls it a “Great first home”.
Read reviews and details of Cranleigh Grange, GU6Fifth-placed Holborough Lakes is a new development of 2-bedroom apartments and 3 and 4-bedroom homes in rural Kent. Set around a series of freshwater lakes and attractive landscaping and offers an excellent range of facilities. All homes benefit from spacious open plan living areas and private gardens with lawns and patios.
Read reviews and details of Holborough Lakes, ME6In sixth, Shakespeare Park by Taylor Wimpey sits in Kingsmead. The development has a collection of high standard 2-bed apartments and 3 to 4-bed houses. As well as offering a range of sizes all properties have well thought out designs that are bright and open. In addition, residents benefit from variety of local amenities and close by transport links, creating a community for young professionals and growing families.
Read reviews and details of Shakespeare Park, MK4Seventh-placed Bellway at Kingsmere is surrounded by green open space, a village setting with a great community feel. The development benefits from schools, a village centre, recreational and sports facilities, a health village, restaurant and hotel. The community is a short walk from the designer shops and boutiques at Bicester Village.
Read reviews and details of Bellway at Kingsmere, OX26Sitting in eighth, Woodhurst Park promises a return to a more natural way of life where community and nature can live hand in hand. There are a wealth of landscaped areas, nature walks and play areas, as well as a village green and pond.
Read reviews and details of Woodhurst Park, RG42Located in Woodley, just three miles from Reading town centre, Parklands takes ninth place. The site was developed by CALA Homes. Completed in 2018, this development comprises 291 homes, as well as community facilities and a retail unit. As well as this, Parklands was developed on top of on the former Reading University Bulmershe Court Campus.
Read reviews and details of Parklands by CALA Homes, RG610th-placed Reading Gatway, by Bewley Homes, sits just 3.5 miles from central Reading and the various amenities that it has on offer. Comprising from a range of contemporary house and apartments, this development benefits from great transport links and plenty of green space.
Read reviews and details of Reading Gateway, RG2In 11th, Taplow Riverside, by Berkeley Homes, sits in Maidenhead. The development is a scenic riverside scheme located in an countryside setting, close to country villages. As well as this, residents benefit from being less than 2 miles from Crossrail stations at Taplow, Maidenhead and 15 miles west of Heathrow. In addition, Taplow Riverside offers many wide open spaces, with meadows and walks by the River Thames and Jubilee River. The development includes apartments and penthouses in Jubilee Mill and a smaller collection of homes in Dunloe Lodge.
Read reviews and details of Taplow Riverside, SL6 Edenbrook Village is a collection of 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom new homes conveniently located, just 2 miles from the centre of the sought after town of Fleet. Set on the edge of a stunning 82 acre Country Park,
Read reviews and details of Edenbrook Village, GU51 Dee Park, by Willmott Dixon, is a multi-phase regeneration scheme. Located on the outskirts of Reading, this development comprises of 763 homes, 281 of which are affordable. As well as this, the development has community, healthcare, and education facilities.
Read reviews and details of Dee Park, RG30 Brooklands Park by David Wilson Homes, sits in Milton Keynes. Comprising of 2 to 5-bedroom houses, the development benefits from transport links bringing commuters into central London in just 33 minutes. As well as this, residents have access to Centre:MK, just 10-minutes away, which is one of the UK’s top shopping destinations.
Read reviews and details of Brooklands Park, MK10 Hopefield Grange, by CALA Homes, is situated in village of Benson, running alongside the River Thames. The development comprises of a collection of 2 to 5 bedroom homes with easy access to Reading, Oxford and London Paddington.
Read reviews and details of Hopefield Grange, OX10 Hurricane Court is a new development by Nacropolis, situated in the Slough town of Langley, within five miles of Heathrow Airport. Hurricane Court also lies within a 15 minute drive of Slough and has a future train journey of 30 minutes to London with the anticipated Elizabeth Line.
Read reviews and details of Hurricane Court, SL3Why live in the South East of England?
Because of its size and wide coverage of different counties, the South East of England is very diverse. If you want to be close to the action, it’s easy to live within striking distance of London. Also, the likes of Brighton, Oxford and Southampton offer their own unique city living experiences.
Alternatively, if you prefer a more peaceful, rural existence, then there’s plenty to choose from. The long sweep of countryside that makes up most of the region’s counties is stunningly beautiful, and Kent is known as the ‘Garden of England’ with good reason. Other natural beauty highlights include the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) The New Forest National Park and the High Weald AONB.
More generally, wherever you choose to live in the South East of England, you’re likely to be somewhere affluent, well-connected and with immediate access to good and outstanding schools. Be aware that house prices can be steep, particularly in desirable market towns and historic cities. Still, the region is also the site of major housing development schemes, which are boosting supply and providing more options for buying and renting new builds in the South East of England.
Transport in the South East of England
Many of the most important arterial A-roads and motorways run through the South East of England. The north and west of the region are well served by the M1, M40 and M4. The M23/A23 connects Brighton to London, as does the fast and direct train connection.
The M20 and M2 run out from the capital down to the major Kentish hubs of Canterbury, Folkstone and Dover. There’s also another direct high-speed train link between Canterbury and London. It’s also easy to pick up Eurostar train services from Ashford.
South East of England house prices
In October 2024, the average house price for South East of England is £466,544, according to Rightmove. While significantly higher than the national average for England at £310,000 (ONS stats for August 2024), this accounts for plenty of high-cost areas and cities. For example, Oxford is the second most expensive UK city to live in, and comes with a huge property price tag.
Depending on where you want to live in this diverse yet desirable region, you may be able to find cheaper property deals that lie well below this average.
Did any of the listings strike your fancy? If so, click for a closer look. If you need more information on this exceptional region, then our area guide below should be your next stop.
HomeViews is the only independent review platform for residential developments in the UK. Prospective buyers and tenants use it to make an informed decision on where to live based on insights from carefully verified resident reviews. Part of Rightmove since February 2024, we’re working with developers, house builders, operators, housing associations and the Government to give residents a voice, recognise high performers and to help improve standards across the industry.
