One of the most desirable Home Counties is also one of the most affordable, finds Anna Bowden .
Stretching from the outskirts of London towards the Midlands, Buckinghamshire is home to rolling Chiltern Hills, the meandering Thames, picturesque villages, a host of welcoming pubs, spectacular country walks around historic houses and a rich literary heritage. Writers such as John Milton, TS Eliot and Mary Shelley lived in the county, and there are many home buyers today hoping to follow in their footsteps. Fortunately, new home developers are making it easy for them by building superb quality developments in all Buckinghamshire’s hotspots. Surrounded by beauty and convenience, why live anywhere else?
Bellway Northern Home Counties is one such developer, currently offering a selection of 39 terraced and detached houses at Mount View, a development on the western fringes of Milton Keynes. There are 18 different styles of houses design at Mount View, and all have been awarded the eco-homes standard, which means that they have been designed to maximise energy efficiency and help home owners save money while being environmentally friendly. Heat loss is minimised and low energy lighting used. Only timber from sustainable sources has been used in the construction process, and residents will have water butts to capture rainwater for watering plants and gardens.
As an added bonus for residents Bellway has teamed up with Modular Gardens, a bespoke garden service affordable to the average home buyer that offers excellent opportunities to those who want an outdoor space but who have neither the time nor the inclination to create one themselves.
Chris Edginton, Bellway Northern Home Counties sales director, says, ‘We’ve offered buyers bespoke services for their homes for years and custom-built gardens seemed the logical progression. The design and build service gives purchasers the opportunity to have a garden that responds to their individual needs.
‘Creating a garden is one of the more difficult aspects for buyers to complete once they have moved into their home. Purchasers can discuss their requirements with the Modular Garden team, who will then create a garden to meet their specifications. The team has created an impressive demonstration garden at Mount View.’
Residents at Mount View will be close to excellent transport links; regular mainline services run from Milton Keynes into London Euston, with a journey time of around 50 minutes, and motorists can access links to the M1 and A5 within minutes.
Homes available at the development start from £215,000 for a three-bedroom house; £242,000 for four bedrooms and £380,000 for a five-bedroom house. To find out more call a sales adviser on 01908 504438 or visit bellway.co.uk.
Banner Homes’ Hampden Grove development in Gerrards Cross offers buyers the latest in high-specification apartment living, meaning that commuters choosing to live outside the capital don’t have to compromise on style and finish. Kitchens are professionally designed, with under-unit lighting, downlighters and built-in appliances. Bathrooms feature stylish white sanitary ware, recessed downlighters, ceramic floor tiling and heated towel rails; and some properties even boast pre-wiring for multi-room hi-fi systems and Cat5e cabling.
The development itself is close to the mainline station, from where regular services access London Marylebone within 30 minutes. Hampden Grove is also close to boutiques, supermarkets, banks and the M40.
Piers Banfield, group sales and marketing director for Banner Homes, says, ‘Commuters nowadays are looking for the tranquillity of a rural location combined with the luxury specification and convenience of top-end urban developments when choosing a home. Hampden Grove is well placed to meet this demand.’
Properties currently available at the development include four two-bedroom apartments (700sq ft in size) as well as one two-bedroom cottage, two villas and one detached house. The two-bedroom apartments are priced from £329,500. For further information call selling agent Frost Partnership on 01753 890909 or visit the Banner Homes website at bannerhomes.co.uk.
Also by Banner Homes is Monarch Place in Loudwater, an exclusive development of 16 two-bedroom apartments and 11 three- and four-bedroom town houses designed to meet the needs of those with busy lifestyles.
Within the accommodation the emphasis is on ease and convenience; all apartments have carefully laid out kitchens, adjoining bathrooms and fitted wardrobes designed to aid practical living. The three-storey town houses offer maximum flexibility regarding use of space.
Monarch Place is fantastically located near a selection of local amenities, including a large supermarket and various independent outlets. In addition, it is located only a short distance from the extensive range of shops and buzzing nightlife options of nearby towns High Wycombe and Beaconsfield.
Prices at Monarch Place range from £179,950 for a two-bedroom apartment to £370,000 for a four-bedroom detached town house. For further details call the sales advisers on 01494 447551 or visit the show home, open daily between 10am and 5pm.
KingsOak North London has seen great success with its Grosvenor Court development, also in Loudwater, where just three apartments currently remain from the original collection of 18 one-and two-bedroom apartments. The high-specification homes at Grosvenor Court are popular with young professional buyers attracted by the convenience of the location and the excellent commuting opportunities it presents.
The development enjoys a very central location at London Road, which offers good access to the amenities of High Wycombe (including a John Lewis store). It is also close to junction 3 of the M40, making commuting into central London relatively simple. The mainline station is approximately three miles away, from where trains run into London Marylebone within a journey time 40 minutes. The towns of Maidenhead, Amersham and Beaconsfield are also close, as are a host of pretty local villages and country pubs and restaurants, offering a desirable Sunday-afternoon-drive-and-pub-lunch lifestyle!
In addition to acres of countryside and nature reserves nearby – perfect for invigorating walks – there are many golf clubs in the vicinity, a sports centre at High Wycombe and the Odyssey swimming pool at Glory Mill. Those with a more energetic disposition can benefit from a dry ski slope and snowboarding runs at Wycombe Sports Centre, whilst those more interested in relaxation and cultural facilities can visit nearby art centres, the Swan Theatre and a UCI six-screen cinema, all in Wycombe.
‘This is a great location for young, professional buyers, as there is so much to do, both locally and within a few miles,’ says David Campbell, managing director for KingsOak North London. ‘In addition, transport links are plentiful, making commuting to London and other parts of the South particularly easy.’
Prices for remaining apartments at Grosvenor Place start from £182,995 for one bedroom. For further details call 01494 472796 or visit the sales office, open Thursdays to Mondays from 11am to 6pm.
KingsOak is also offering Haddington Manor, a collection of two-bedroom apartments and two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom homes on a former MOD homes site in Wendover, where, for a limited period only, the developer is offering part exchange on selected plots. This means that buyers get the home of their dreams and are also guaranteed a price on their home.
‘Part exchange is a brilliant option for someone with a home to sell,’ explains David Campbell. ‘It removes all the traditional worries from buying or selling, such as your buyer pulling out at the last moment, or someone beating you to the home you really want. This way, you can virtually sit back and relax while KingsOak does all the running around for you!’
Wendover is a popular location for those searching for a new home, as it enjoys an attractive Chiltern Hills setting close to the major towns of Amersham, Chesham and Hemel Hempstead (on the Hertfordshire border). With plenty of shopping facilities, sporting options and leisure prospects nearby, it is the perfect location for active families who want to enjoy their free time as well as good commuting prospects. The development boasts access to convenient rail services into London Marylebone, as well as being within easy reach of the A41, the B4009 and junction 18 of the M25. And for those who travel abroad regularly, Heathrow and Luton airports are within easy striking distance, opening up even more possibilities.
Prices currently start from £199,995 for a two-bedroom apartment and from £279,995 for a three-bedroom home with garage. To find out more call the sales office, open daily between 11am and 6pm, on 01296 625736. Alternatively, log onto kingsoakhomes.com, where you will find more information and details of other KingsOak developments.
Charles Church is now offering Hazeley Fields in Milton Keynes, a lovely collection of just 21 three-, four-and six-bedroom family homes in a variety of elevation treatments and styles. Ideally located just to the west of the town centre, Hazeley Fields boasts good access to junction 13 of the M1. There are now only a few homes remaining at the development, such has been its success, priced from £262,995 for a four-bedroom home and £382,995 for a five-bedroom home.
To find out more information or to arrange a viewing, call the sales office and show home, open Thursdays to Mondays from 10am to 5pm, on 01908 508160.