by Janet Burnell of Pentland Homes

One of the most prominent events for Kent in the last six months has been the arrival of the new fast train link from Dover and Folkestone, a huge talking point over the years.

As we're developing new homes in Folkestone and promoting the benefits of the new rail link for those buying here, I thought it would be a good idea to take our two sales managers on a trip to London to "test drive" the service - I don't believe that you can sell the virtues of something unless you experience it for yourself.

We arrived at Folkestone West - the closest station to our development, Westbourne Heights in Coolinge Lane - at 9.50am; we had no trouble parking in the station car park which was a real bonus. The train arrived on time and we had a good choice of seats. The journey was very quiet and smooth and we arrived at Ashford soon after, where the train began to fill up.

One more stop at Ebbsfleet and then on to St Pancras. This whole journey took just 55 minutes. I never thought I could get enthusiastic about a train journey but this was so pleasant and civilised. St Pancras itself is a wonderful station, and of course, from there, it's easy to catch a tube or cab to other parts of London.

The introduction of this speedy service means you can buy property on the Kent coast that is good value but still be in London in 55 minutes, which is ideal for those who want to commute to London, or who work from home but need to travel every now and then. It allows more time with the family and less stress, eliminating long travelling times, which can only be a good thing!

The other real benefit is that property values are likely to increase in the long term - the easier access to London and excellent nearby schools mean that property here appeals to a wider range of people, and is more desirable.

• l Westbourne Heights is a small development of high quality detached family homes situated a few minutes' walk from Folkestone West station, in a catchment area of excellent schools. For further information on its developments, contact the sales office on 01303 893080 or visit www.pentlandhomes.co.uk