A CONTEMPORARY new range of townhouses and apartments was officially launched by developer T A Fisher at a professionals lunch.

The housebuilder is constructing a courtyard of properties on land in Cliddesden Road, which was sold off by Queen Mary's College.

Cliddesden Place (pictured right) is providing light and airy new homes with a spacious design, with prices starting from £200,000 for the 14 one and two-bedroomed apartments and £525,000 for the three-storey, five-bedroomed townhouses.

Already one of the houses and an apartment have been reserved through the selling agent Poulters, and T A Fisher is also offering a part-exchange scheme.

Cedar boarding, stock brick and the extensive use of glazing give modern character in what John Fisher, managing director of Reading-based T A Fisher, describes as "family urban housing".

The townhouses are the biggest-ever built by T A Fisher and have 2,020 square feet of accommodation.

Mr Fisher believes the town house designs are so flexible that they will appeal to families, people wanting to work from home and especially couples with teenagers or those needing space for a nanny or other relative.

The proximity to Basingstoke will also help with the carbon footprint and save fuel as Cliddesden Place is within walking distance of the town centre.

The early days of marketing have seen up to 40 visitors each weekend viewing the showhouse and apartment and, even in the current credit crunch, Mr Fisher believes they will sell well.

He said: "It is important for people to invest wisely. We have been in business for 113 years and, historically, all our houses have been a good investment."

His advice to potential purchasers is: "Buy something a little bit different, with individuality and with tomorrow's specification."