Pictured: Andi Summerton, managing director of Walton Homes

Despite the challenging economic climate, local developer Walton Homes has announced that it will continue to build new homes and will launch a further six sites across the Midlands during 2012. 

This announcement comes in response to Walton being on the verge of selling out at five of its developments across the region - Radbrook Rise in Corby, Hemlingford Mill in Kingsbury, Honeybourne Grange in Alrewas, Carisbrooke House in Tamworth and The Lincombes in Mere Green. 

Andi Summerton, managing director of Walton Homes says: "There is no denying that 2011 has been a challenging year for house builders across the Midlands but at Walton Homes we are in the fortunate position of being able to look forward and are committed to providing local people with the homes they want. 

"To be on the verge of selling out at five of our developments is hugely rewarding but to be able to announce that we are planning on launching a further six schemes in 2012 is just fantastic - especially at a time when statistics reveal that housebuilding is not meeting demand in the area."

Earlier this month the National Housing Federation warned that the West Midlands region is building half as many new homes as needed each year. While the number of households in the region increases by 18,000 a year, only 8,250 new homes are built. Walton Homes is committed to bucking this trend and has already commenced construction at its latest development, Appledore in Armitage, whose show home will be launched in January 2012. 

In the past two months alone Walton Homes has launched two exclusive new developments - Millfields in Tamworth and Brindley Gardens in Rugeley, both of which are already proving popular. 

Andi continues: "Each week it seems like another negative story is written about the current property market and, admittedly, buying a house is not as easy as it was before the recession, but it is important that potential purchasers ignore the 'doom and gloom' and speak to a sales representative or an independent financial advisor about how to get onto, or move up, the property ladder. 

"At Walton we have a number of tailor-made incentives available which really can make all the difference. Our Lion's Share scheme is a great way for first time buyers to purchase a new home and we are really pleased to be able to offer a scheme that is better than the government's FirstBuy*initiative."

For a limited time only, buyers wishing to purchase a home at Carisbrooke House in Tamworth can do so under Lion's Share and will need to pay just 75 per cent of the value of the show apartment through a five per cent deposit and a conventional mortgage. Walton will pay the remaining 25 per cent share, with the only requirement being that when the property is eventually sold on, or after 10 years - whichever is sooner - the 25 per cent interest free loan is paid back to the developer. 

The Lion's Share scheme enables the two-bedroom ground floor show apartment at Carisbrooke House to be purchased for just £89,962.50, which represents 75 per cent of the £119,950 list price. 

"The housing market isn't miraculously going to transform overnight but we can say that both developers and purchasers are coming more accustomed to the property market as it stands and we can now develop and take advantage of the opportunities out there. People shouldn't have to be forced to rent for their adult lives and at Walton we believe in making purchasing a home as simple and affordable as possible - whilst not forgetting the high standards our customers expect."

Walton Homes is a family run housebuilder based in Lichfield, with a track record spanning over 25 years in the region. The force behind a significant number of regeneration projects and new homes developments in Staffordshire and the wider West Midlands area, Walton Homes has secured a reputation for its bespoke, quality approach to house building.  

*The government's FirstBuy scheme allows first-time buyers to purchase 100 per cent of the property for 80 per cent of the full purchase price. The Homes and Communities Agency, along with certain developers, offer a loan of up to 20 per cent. The loan is equity free for the first five years, after which a fee of 1.75 per cent is payable.