Having suffered two strokes, Ken Breakspear decided it was time he and wife Maria moved somewhere more easily manageable.

The couple, who are both in their 60s, put their two-bedroom house in Grove on the market and began to look for an alternative property.

After not finding anything suitable, they widened their search to include neighbouring Wantage.

Mr Breakspear, a human resources manager, said: “Wantage is more expensive than Grove, so we were worried about being able to afford a new home in the area.

“Maria and I went to see the new-build apartments at St Mary’s, available through shared ownership, but they weren’t quite right for our requirements.

The Breakspears eventually found an apartment in The Courtyard, in the refurbished part of the St Mary’s development.

Mr Breakspear added: “We bought a first-floor property in a converted building that has a lovely dining room with big bay windows and a couple of original metal fireplaces.

“We love that each property is different, and the apartment we are buying is the same size as the house we have just sold.

“Although we weren’t looking at shared ownership to begin with, once we knew about the scheme we thought it was a great idea. The benefit, apart from being much more affordable, is that we have been able to free up equity by buying a 25 per cent share in our new property.

Mr and Mrs Breakspear now own a quarter share in their two-bedroom apartment, which is valued at £280,000.

The Courtyard, part of the second phase at St Mary’s, in the centre of Wantage, is a selection of refurbished one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. The properties are also available through the New Build HomeBuy scheme, a Government-led part-buy, part-rent initiative, aimed at helping first-time buyers and others get on to the property ladder.

To be eligible, purchasers need to have an annual household income of between £18,000 and £60,000 and be registered with their local HomeBuy Agent.

Built by Berkeley Homes, each property at St Mary’s includes floor coverings and fitted kitchens including fridge/freezer, washer/dryer and an allocated parking space.

Prices for an apartment in The Courtyard start from £38,750 for a 25 per cent share in a property with a full market value of £155,000. Monthly rent and service charges start from £385.42.

For more information, contact Thames Valley Housing New Build on 0844 470 4645 or visit homebuy4u.co.uk or tvha-stmarys.co.uk