Submitted by daniel on Mon, 24/03/2025 - 11:01 Picture Image Description Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now Dartford has topped a national list of first-time home buyer hotspots as the proportion of mortgages loaned to people buying their first property in the borough rose to more than 20 per cent. Sign up to our LondonWorld Today newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to LondonWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has recently published data showing Dartford had the highest rate of first-time buyer mortgage lending for any local authority in the UK during 2023. Affordability, transport links and proximity to the capital are among the reasons why first-time buyers have been moving to Bellway London’s developments in the borough. Sebastian and Joanna Adamczyk work in London and purchased their first home at Bellway London’s Copperhouse Green development in the centre of Dartford last year. They received a deposit contribution from Bellway London. Until the end of April, buyers at the company’s Dartford developments are being offered up to £20,000 towards their deposit or stamp duty. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The couple had been renting in the capital for more than 10 years. They are now paying less each month in mortgage payments for their two-bedroom apartment than they did in rent for their old flat in Streatham. Joanna, a retail team leader, said: “We had heard that Dartford was a nice place to live and had transport links to London, so one day we caught a train and went to have a look. We went to the high street and saw all the lovely cafes and shops and there was a lovely feeling about the place. “After a spot of window shopping, we walked to the huge Central Park to relax and saw a sign for apartments at Copperhouse Green just round the corner. We both knew it was the place we wanted to live. “Instead of having a view of the busy Streatham High Road, we look out over the gorgeous Central Park. When I sit out on the balcony of our fifth-floor apartment now I don’t have to block out the sounds of sirens and traffic with headphones because all I hear is birdsong. It’s wonderful.” Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Christine Akhuetie, a 29-year-old legal project management analyst, moved from South Norwood to buy an apartment at Bellway London’s Crossways Quarter development in Greenhithe. She said: “My priorities were that it had to be within an hour commute of central London, as that is where my office is, and within an hour’s drive from my mum’s house. “Although I don’t use my car to get to work, I have an allocated parking space in a car park which is secure and gated off. Stone Crossing railway station is a five-minute walk from my apartment and from there I can get to Liverpool Street. It’s great because I can get from my front door to the office in an hour.” Ariana Getnet grew up in Dartford and bought her first home at Copperhouse Green. She works as an internal sales manager and works near Liverpool Street Station. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She said: “Firstly, it’s not too far from London transport links. I’m used to going out in London straight from work. Because of the convenient commute it doesn’t feel like it’s taking its toll. “The gym is close by, and I feel safe here. I’m not far from the things I’m used to and if I need to pop to the shops, it’s going into town or to Bluewater.” The data analysed by ONS was provided by the Financial Conduct Authority. The analysis looked at the number of people purchasing a home with their first mortgage per 1,000 sales – a method which provides an accurate comparison between local authorities regardless of their size. Bellway London is building homes at Copperhouse Green and Crossways Quarter in Dartford Borough and is currently offering a deposit or stamp duty contribution on selected plots. For more information, see https://www.bellwaylondon.co.uk/new-homes/thames-gateway/copperhouse-gr… or https://www.bellwaylondon.co.uk/new-homes/thames-gateway/crossways-quar… Web Link Dartford named as first-time home buyer hotspot - LondonWorld LondonWorld