Hertfordshire is one of the most popular spots for buyers, offering an excellent mix of newly built homes. Johnny Turner has a look at what’s available.
Hertfordshire is a county with a lot to offer – pleasant countryside, well-connected market towns, good schools and fine property. There are currently a number of winning developments that are convincing both Herts natives and incomers that this region is on the up.
Twigden Homes is seeing success with a number of its schemes in the county, having selected sites that show Hertfordshire at its best. It has unveiled Templar’s Gate, an extensive development of two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom homes in Royston with an emphasis on traditional design and affordability. With prices starting at £145,000 these homes will appeal to first-time buyers as well as those who already own a home.
Templar’s Gate is named for Royston’s strong association with the Knights Templar, and each of the four phases of the development will be named for saints who were of particular importance to the mysterious organisation.
Royston is a traditional market town with an unbeatable combination of nearby natural beauty and convenient modern amenities. Plentiful open space, good country walks, wildlife and golf courses are practically on the doorstep. The town is well connected too: Cambridge and Peterborough are easily accessible, and frequent trains to London King’s Cross provide a journey time of just 45 minutes.
Both inside and out, these homes offer a well designed, comfortable living environment. With a wide choice of house styles, any buyer will find something to like here. Most properties at Templar’s Gate include fitted kitchens and en suite facilities to the main bedrooms, and much attention has been paid to the scheme’s landscaping and layout.
Two-bedroom apartments are priced from £145,000 – and on these Twigden is currently offering to pay the five per cent deposit, as well as stamp duty and legal fees (excluding disbursements). Two-bedroom houses start at £165,000, three-bedroom houses are priced from £215,000 and four-bedroom houses start at £279,995. Find out more about Templar’s Gate by calling the site sales representative on 01763 249136.
Other current Twigden developments include The Grove, the builder’s fourth in Bishop’s Stortford, near the Essex border. The Grove is a collection of 32 new homes in a range of designs. There are three-bedroom houses starting at £215,000, four-bedroom houses from £285,000 and five-bedroom houses at prices from £389,000. Find out more about The Grove by calling 01279 652432.
Meanwhile, on the south side of Bishop’s Stortford, four- and five-bedroom houses are selling quickly at Poppyfields, at prices ranging from £325,000 to £435,000. Call 01279 654640 for more details. Find out about all Twigden’s current developments online at twigdenhomes.co.uk.
Paris Quarter is the recently released second phase of homes at Cassio Metro, Linden Homes’ stylish development in Watford. Offering 33 two-bedroom apartments and 38 three- and four-bedroom town houses, Paris Quarter offers an excellent opportunity to snap up a city-style home in an enviable area. Interest is high, so prospective buyers should move quickly. ‘I am predicting that the homes will not remain on the market for long,’ says Helen Todd, sales and marketing director for Linden Homes Chiltern.
This highly contemporary collection of four luxury apartment blocks and family town houses is marked by ultra-high specification. The show home has cool, minimalist décor and includes innovative technology such as pre-wiring for surround sound, recessed speakers in the bathroom and a large plasma television integrated into the foot of the bed in the master bedroom. Cassio Metro residents will have access to a health and fitness centre with top-of-the-range sports equipment and a swimming pool, as well as a personal concierge service – all part of the plan to create an environment that is luxurious and stress-free.
Another aspect that cuts down on daily stress is the proximity to parkland and good transport links. Cassiobury Park provides acres of beautiful open space that is ideal for quiet walks. And Watford tube station is moments away, providing a direct Metropolitan Line service to London Liverpool Street, giving City workers an easy one-hour commute.
Prices for two-bedroom apartments range from £260,000 to £265,000; three-bedroom town houses are £325,000 to £420,000; and four-bedroom town houses are priced from £415,000 to £475,000. Call the Cassio Metro sales and marketing suite on 01923 229229 or visit lindenhomes.co.uk.
Also in Watford, Barratt Homes offers Signature, a collection of modern two-, three- and four-bedroom homes just a mile and a half from the town centre. The emphasis is on contemporary elegance, and the use of modern materials makes these homes as maintenance-free as possible. The apartments boast strong roof lines, full-height glass walls on the upper floors, sweeping terraces and balconies to most apartments. The use of glass continues in the houses; each has a full-width conservatory room to the rear.
Inside you will find modern fitted kitchens complete with integrated stainless steel oven, hob and hood plus washer/dryer and dishwasher. Stylish bathrooms will have classic white suites and most master bedrooms offer en suite shower rooms. There will be two fully equipped residents’ fitness rooms and all the homes offer private parking (each house has a garage).
Superbly located for commuting, Signature has a choice of good connections. Residents can take a fast train to London Euston from Watford Junction, which takes about 20 minutes, or they can the catch Metropolitan Line tube from either Watford or Croxley Stations – both are very accessible. For drivers the M1 is around two and a half miles away. Air travellers are equally well served with Heathrow, Luton and Stansted airports all easy to reach.
Prices range from £217,500 to £330,000. Phone Barratt’s central sales line on 01923 297311.
Camstead Homes has three of just six elegant houses remaining at its Osborn Gardens development in the village of Digswell, near Welwyn Garden City. The Edwardian-influenced houses occupy a rural setting in a hollow surrounded by tree-covered hills near Digswell Lake and the 17-acre Digswell Park.
Osborn Gardens is ideal for London commuters. It is a short walk to Welwyn North station, from where the journey to King’s Cross takes approximately half an hour. The area is upmarket – homes in neighbouring Harmer Green are often priced above £1 million.
All six homes offer integral garages. There are two five-bedroom detached houses, each of which features a substantial second-floor master bedroom measuring nearly six metres by four metres with en suite. The four four-bedroom semi-detached houses are in two pairs and have the unusual feature of a first-floor lounge, dining room and kitchen, plus a family room/study. On the ground floor, besides the integral garage there is a double bedroom en suite which would be ideal for a teenager or dependant relative.
Interior finishes follow a traditional style, featuring ornate plaster cornicing to the hallway, living room and dining room, while the front gardens have been imaginatively designed by award-winning landscape architect Lisa Camps. Rear patios feature decking and are very conducive to relaxation.
Prices at Osborn Gardens start at £499,950. For more information call Moira Scott of Camstead Homes on 01954 213450.
And for those with an eye on future developments, Charles Church has announced that it has recently acquired land in Sarratt, near Chorleywood, and plans to build five executive homes there. Located in a private road, the development will be designed in the Arts and Crafts style to blend in with the surrounding area.
Specification will be very high and the homes will offer every convenience today’s buyer expects. Charles Church will also provide its Select service in this development, so buyers can personalise their house by choosing from a distinctive range of options.
The small village of Sarratt, just five miles from Watford, is ideally positioned for commuting to London and the surrounding areas. It is just off the A404, which provides access to the M25 at Junction 18, and Chorley rail and tube station is only two and a half miles away.
To get more information or to register on the waiting list, call Charles Church North London on 01727 828800.