North facing isn't bad at all, it'll have sun all summer provided there's no tall buildings either side blocking it. No sun in winter though.

What's meant to be round the lawn in the image you've shown, separating it from everything? What size is the area?

Ill need to measure it, I was thinking gravel round about? Although I've just added a photo above Ive found that looks quite nice

That's very nice actually - but also expensive...

I prefer the first photo,Lbsnoop,as the lawn looks to blend in ,and look softer,following the circular shapes of the Paved area and the edged bed at bottom left...Yes,it will be expensive,but will be more manageable in years to come..As we don't know which age group you are in, possibly,it isn't a problem,as it was with us,which is one reason we chose a similar layout..low maintenance shrubs in the borders,and pots on the Patio,interchangeable for the seasons,works well..ours was a new build with lots of rubble too,good luck,whatever you decide to do..:o)

I forgot to respond to your gravel idea - gravel and pea shingle are much loved by cats, who tend to treat it as cat litter. Larger stones don't cause the same problem. Also, you'd still need an edge on the lawn to keep the gravel off... and its not pleasant to walk on unless you lay slabs at intervals to use as 'stepping stones'.

I agree,with Bamboo,on the gravel and Pea shingle..the edging stones in your first photo,look good, for around around your lawn..or smaller square sett types,are fine too..and cheaper..

You could overlap the areas - have the patio circle and flower beds cut into the square of the lawn, or the other way - as in the top picture

Think of the whole area being the patio or the lawn (if you really have to have one) and then lay the curved structures over it on the plan. Stick to one strong shape - either circles (including semicircles, quadrants etc) or rectangles - mixing too many structural shapes will make the garden look cluttered. Rectangles/straight edges are easier to create if you're not experienced at hard landscaping.

One other word of advice ... As the ground falls towards the house make sure there is somewhere for rainwater to go. My last house was a new build with a fall towards the French windows and no land drain to take away rain water - consequence big puddle after every shower. Check with the builders as to whether there is a land drain and if there isn't ask them if they will come back and install one - if they're still building in the area they may do it as a gesture of goodwill (to stop you telling other prospective buyers how awful it is that you worry that your house will flood.

You have to be careful with shingle even with a membrane underneath it. Weed seeds take root when scattered by the wind and birds and it needs constant raking. Some tough weeds will actually root through the membrane.

As for easy maintenance, shrubs of all sizes take little work other than the occasional prune. Groundcover plants work well but can be invasive.

Thanks for all the info guys. There is some black plastic squares in the garden, I presume leading to pipes, is this the land drainage? we have a friend who deals with drainage coming to look and advise/help us with the drainage. We have kids so want a lawn and plan to seed it rather than turf it. Ill get to work on drawing up another plan. I know it will be expensive to do but as we plan on living there forever, I can do it in sections.
thanks again

Good idea to do it in sections,it will give you more time to plan what your final decision will be.Personallyl,I would make your lawn area a bit bigger,seeing as you have children,and when they outgrow wanting to play,you might want to then consider changing to a different design..Seeding it ,will certainly be the cheaper option for now..

But there is a problem with seeding grass - you won't be able to use it properly for 3 months, and your children won't be able to play on it during that time. It takes time for the seedlings to build a good root system and be resilient enough for family use, and that might be a consideration, given the time of year - 3 months takes you up to end of July, if you sowed seed today. In the circumstances, it might be better to spend money on turfing the area - parts can always be cut out and removed if you want to add paving or planting later.

I would also add a pond of some sort even if you have very small children - consider a raised pond about knee high for you makes a comfortable edge to sit on and means kids can't stumble into it.

Given the usual mess most house builders leave, you'll have a few months of picking up the rubble. Get the children involved - prizes for the quickest to fill a bucket, most buckets filled etc. it may be bribery but getting them helping out should also mean that they take a bit more interest later on. You could also ask them to help out with the plan and include some of their ideas - warning though - this can lead to your garden plan being a cross between an army assault course and a fairytale palace (depending on the age and gender of children).