STRONG demand from buy-to-let investors on the Barratt-built city-style apartments of Crown Heights has led to the developers introducing a special package - including a dedicated local lettings agency and a special show home.

Investors buying off-plan at Crown Heights - two 14-storey buildings that are transforming the Basingstoke skyline opposite the railway station - can get help with arranging a buy-to-let mortgage up to a maximum 85 per cent of borrowing, which Barratt pledges to hold at two per cent below current lending rates for two years.

Barratt is even offering to pay five per cent interest on each investor's 10 per cent deposit until the date of completion of an apartment.

Investors taking advantage of the scheme will get free carpets, extra kitchen appliances and lettings management through a dedicated agent appointed by Barratt, who are guaranteeing a seven per cent gross rental return for a full two years and offering a competitive furnishing service for the buy-to-let apartments.

The popularity of Crown Heights with investors has led Barratt to open an "investors-only" show apartment to highlight the quality of the letting and furnishing package.

Kenneth Lee, Barratt Southern Counties sales director, said: "All of this is designed to enable investors to let their properties faster and at more competitive rates when the time comes.

"We don't think any other developer is offering an investor package anywhere near as comprehensive as this."

He added: "Because some completions are still months away, investors who reserve now will effectively be buying at today's prices for a home in 2004.

"As well as getting a mortgage held at two per cent below current lending rates for two years, they will also be earning interest on their deposits at the rate of five per cent - which is not a bad return in today's market."

Crown Heights, which will eventually bring nearly 300 contemporary apartments to the Basingstoke housing stock, has been a magnet for investors since it was launched early last year when in excess of 100 people queued to buy off-plan.

With more than half of the apart-ments reserved, Barratt is speeding up the construction programme, and Mr Lee said: "We were always convinced that people would want to live in a contemporary, town centre development like this - and so it has been proved.

"The rental market in Basingstoke remains very healthy and local prices have risen at a higher rate than most other areas in the South East."

Around 200,000sqft of drab, concrete government offices were razed to the ground to make way for the two crescent-shaped buildings of Crown Heights which face each other across a central courtyard.

The old 1960s-built Crown Building is being replaced with a £40million development by Barratt, which will have a total of 288 apartments in two and three-bedroomed designs.

A newly-built footbridge now links the new homes to Festival Place and the complex is planned to have a health and fitness centre, restaurant and retail facilities.

Prices on the current phase are from £204,000 for two-bedroomed apartments up to £525,000 for the first of the development's three-bedroomed duplex penthouses.

The penthouse has almost 2,000sqft of accommodation, making it larger than the average four-bedroomed house, and another 2,000sqft of roof terraces.