First time buyers are being told they can get their foot on the property ladder in a new garden city forking out as little as £91,000 for an apartment.

Yet there is a catch for budding homeowners, who will get as little as a 35% share of the two-bedroom flats if they use the shared ownership scheme being offered by the UK’s largest housing association.

Clarion Housing Group will release 29 two-bedroom apartments this month at Castle Hill, part of Ebbsfleet Garden City.

Prices will start at as little as £91,000 for a 35% share of a two-bedroom apartment, with a full market value of £260,000.

Last year, the company’s first 15 shared ownership homes were snapped up in a matter hours.

Anna Sewell and her partner Anthony Swinden were among the first buyers from Clarion, which plans to build more than 400 homes in Ebbsfleet.

The couple bought a 45% share of three-bedroom house through shared ownership and they moved into the property last summer.

Ms Sewell, 37, said: “We couldn’t have afforded a home this big if we were buying on the private market.

“We plan to increase our share every two years and the aim is to own our home outright in 10 years’ time.

“It feels wonderful having a home of our own.”

Up to 15,000 homes will be built at Ebbsfleet Garden City over 15 years, plus leisure and commercial space creating 30,000 jobs.

She added: “Ebbsfleet Garden City is an ideal place to live for people who have a young family – a brand new school is close to being completed and there’s lots of green space for children to play.”

Tim Seward, director of sales and marketing at Clarion, said: “Ebbsfleet Garden City is a fabulous new community which is rapidly becoming one of the most sought after places to live in the area, particularly for buyers who are priced out of London and other more expensive parts of Kent.

“Castle Hill is not only great value and a sound investment it is also a great location for a family to put down roots for the long term.”

An open day to view some of the 29 apartments going up for sale is being held on Saturday, January 13 between 10am and 4pm.

Register interest on 0300 100 0309 or emailing sharedownership@clarionhg.com