Multi-award winning housebuilder, Miller Homes East Midlands is to showcase how a Government-backed scheme could be helping people to get a foot on to the property ladder in Derbyshire.

Between 11am and 4pm on July 25 and 26, Miller Homes is opening the doors to its popular Derby development, Highfields Park, for potential house-buyers to come along and learn more about whether they qualify for Homebuy Direct - a shared-equity scheme aimed at those in need of affordable housing.

Homebuy Direct has been carefully structured to enable people to take an equity loan of up to 30 per cent of the purchase price which will be co-funded by Miller Homes and the Government.

This means that they will only need to find a mortgage to cover 70 per cent of the purchase price but can still own 100 per cent of the property. The loan, on which there is no interest to pay for the first five years, is only repayable after 25 years or when the customer sells their home, whichever comes first.

Joy Goodman, sales director at Miller Homes East Midlands, commented: "With trained sales staff and independent financial advisors on hand to answer any questions, we hope this weekend will boost the confidence of potential purchasers and prove that buying a new home could really not be any easier and more affordable than it is right now.

"Property is still one of the best long term investments that you can make, and thanks to schemes such as Homebuy Direct, we believe that many more people will be able to achieve their dreams of owning a new home."

With the tranquil Highfields Park development, adjacent to the popular suburb of Darley Abbey, Miller Homes has provided a restful country retreat just minutes away from the centre of Derby with its celebrated shops, bars, restaurants and cultural treats.

Less than a mile away from the scenic Markeaton Park, Darley Park and the River Derwent, Highfields Park also offers easy access to the M1 motorway, the A6 and A38, and so is ideal for commuting to Nottingham, Chesterfield and Birmingham, whilst also being perfectly situated for East Midlands Airport and Derby Railway Station with its high-speed links to London and Edinburgh.

A selection of two, three and five-bedroomed homes are available at the development, with a particular highlight being the stylish three-bedroomed Auden townhouse, complete with a walk-in bay window and French doors that open out from the light-drenched lounge into the secluded garden, and an exquisite master bedroom which occupies the entire second floor. Available at £190,000, the Auden could cost as little as £133,000 under the HomeBuy Direct scheme.