BARRATT Group chief executive Mark Clare visited the North East to see for himself the company’s latest range of new homes.

The development in Consett is the first in the country to display the new Barratt County Range of homes.

The new design follows consultation with more than 1,000 homebuyers and introduce features such as floor-to- ceiling glazed “light pods” and redesigned kitchens with family areas.

Clare said: “I’m very proud to see the work being done here. These homes further raise the bar of what customers can expect from a new Barratt home.

“We went back to the drawing board to come up with the new designs. The new elements are a direct response from independent focus groups who gave feedback on our designs.

“We have improved floor plans to make space work more efficiently and added features more commonly associated with higher-priced homes, while remaining outstanding value.

“We’re building what the customer wants and we expect the new designs to generate tremendous interest.”

The scheme ranges from first-time buyer homes to five-bedroom houses. The designs blend traditional exteriors with free-flowing interior layouts.

Kitchens have been redesigned, with integrated dining and family areas, and bathrooms have higher specifications and double showers.

Top-floor bedrooms in townhouses have higher ceilings than usual and include large rooflights.