With ancient origins as well as modern-day convenience, Colchester is one of the South East’s true success stories. Johnny Turner takes a look at the new homes currently available in this sought-after spot.
Located in the north Essex countryside near the Suffolk border, Colchester has been a hub of activity for thousands of years. The first recorded town in England, it has housed Roman temples, been burnt by Boudicca and hosted Saxons and Normans. These days, a more peaceful style of living reigns, and this beautiful market town is known as a very desirable spot for both residents and businesses.
The blend of medieval and modern boasts lovely alleys of specialist shops as well as up-to-the-minute shopping precincts, new shops and department stores. There are four theatres, a multiplex cinema and a variety of nightclubs and good-quality restaurants.
Colchester is close enough to London to make it commutable but stands on its own as a pleasant place to live, work, study or visit. Its historic sites sit comfortably next to modern-day amenities, and it is only eight miles from the sea. Good roads to London and surrounding towns means commuting by car is a definite option, while North Colchester station offers frequent trains to Liverpool Street. Little wonder, then, that many who are in the market for a home have gravitated towards Colchester. And the wide choice of high-quality new homes currently to be found means prospective buyers are on to a winner.
Starting in the heart of the old town, Barratt is transforming the former St Mary’s Hospital site into Balkerne Heights, a collection of stylish town houses and apartments with two, three and four bedrooms.
Balkerne Heights is situated just 100 yards from the town centre yet is also on the edge of green fields and acres of open space. Two-bedroom apartments in the current phase are priced from £169,995; later releases will include more three- and four-bedroom homes. For further information call 01206 765674.
Also from Barratt Homes, the Woodside and Waterside segments of Albany Gardens offers a similar mix of apartments and town houses. The development, located in Distillery Lane, will eventually include a range of two- and three-bedroom apartments and three-, four- and five-bedroom houses and town houses. Currently available homes include one- and two-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom town houses, with prices starting at £146,995.
Both of these Barratt developments offer the unbeatable combination of excellent location and value-for-money specification. The extensive range of features includes fully fitted designer central heating, full insulation and double glazed windows.
First-time buyers can get help with their deposit or legal fees, while buyers with a house to sell can also take advantage of the Agency Selling Plan, in which Barratt appoints estate agents, arranges all sales details and pays the agency fees.
Bryant Homes presents its Nightingale Park development in Colchester, where there will be five different designs of four-bedroom homes and ten styles of three-bedroom homes. The three-bedroom Altham house type is priced from £229,995; four-bedroom detached homes will be on sale next winter. Nightingale Park is located off Brinkley Grove in north Colchester, an area with convenient public transport into the town centre as well as good local amenities. Call the sales centre on 01206 752556 for further information.
Another Bryant development in Colchester has a wide variety of house types and sizes. Lark Rise is selling two-bedroom apartments priced from £136,995; two-bedroom semi-detached houses from £245,000; three-bedroom semi-detached houses from £205,000; three-bedroom terraced houses starting at £290,000; and four-bedroom terraced houses from £240,000. Find out more by calling 01206 756235 or visiting bryanthomes.co.uk.
Colchester’s location gives residents an enviable choice of town and country, making it possible to enjoy urban workdays and peaceful, rural evenings. And Bovis Homes offers the commuter something to celebrate with its Anchoridge development in the Wivenhoe area.
Anchoridge, located just a couple of miles from the town centre, offers wonderfully flexible space which would be equally suitable for a young professional or a family. This collection of three-, four- and five-bedroom homes is set in the idyllic surroundings of Wivenhoe Quay, giving residents an enviable waterside environment. Trains from nearby Wivenhoe station get you into London in just over an hour.
Currently available homes include the three-bedroom town houses, priced from £284,950, while four-bedroom homes range in price from £245,950 to £314,950. Five-bedroom homes are priced between £314,950 and £349,950. The sales office is open from 10am to 5pm daily. Call 0845 230 3334 for more information.
Another Bovis development in Colchester is Woodland Vale, which offers two- to five-bedroom homes conveniently located in the heart of the town. It is perfect for the growing family and has excellent commuter links, with London only an hour away by road via the A12, M25 and A14. There is also a nearby railway station, from where frequent trains get commuters to Liverpool Street in just under an hour.
Woodland Vale has been carefully designed in keeping with the local architecture and boasts a high-quality specification. Kitchens are fitted with integral appliances and buyers have a choice of units and worktops. There is also a wide selection of wall tiles to choose from for the kitchen, bathroom and en suites.
The location is fantastic, giving residents the best of one of the UK’s most vibrant market towns. Excellent schools, museums and galleries, Colchester Zoo and Colchester Castle all add up to a rich cultural and educational life. And nearby shopping is varied and of a high quality.
Prices at Woodland Vale begin at £119,950 for a one-bedroom coach house, while three-bedroom terraced houses are priced from £176,950 and five-bedroom detached houses start at £289,950. For further information contact the marketing suite, open Thursdays to Mondays from 10am to 5pm, on 01206 752668.
Mersea Homes brings home-hunters a choice of two-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom houses at a new development which is being marketed by FPDSavills. Around 50 per cent of the development has been sold – even before the show home is completed.
The location is extremely handy, with the mainline station only a half mile away and all of the amenities you would expect from a bustling town centre location right at your fingertips. At the same time, the development is on a quiet corner and offers views of the countryside – truly the best of both worlds.
Two-bedroom apartments currently start at £162,500, while three-bedroom duplex apartments with en suite shower room are priced up to £239,950. Each home is fitted with contemporary kitchens with built-in appliances. The elegant town houses offer accommodation over four floors with a garage and private garden.
For more information contact Adam Akhurst at FPDSavills on 01245 269311.
George Wimpey offers several Colchester developments, giving buyers a good choice of types, sizes and price ranges. Braidwood has a selection of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes, including apartments and semi-detached and detached houses. The scheme is located close to Highwoods Country Park, a 329-acre expanse of woodland, lake and parkland.
Two-bedroom apartments are priced from £145,000, while three-bedroom semi-detached houses start at £202,500. You can also get a four-bedroom town house from £237,500 or a four-bedroom detached house from £310,000. Contact the marketing suite, open daily from 10am to 6pm, on 01206 852995.
Another George Wimpey development is Braiswick View, located among large protected trees in spacious open areas in Dickenson Road. Here buyers will find tranquillity combined with the convenience of good-quality amenities being within walking distance.
Braiswick View offers houses of between one and four bedrooms. Four-bedroom town houses are priced from £299,950 and four-bedroom detached houses currently start at £289,950; other homes, including one-bedroom mews houses, two- and three-bedroom terraced houses and four-bedroom semi-detached houses are to be released shortly.
A show home is now open. Find out more by calling 01206 853627.
At St James Park George Wimpey offers a good mix of family homes and smaller properties that would suit the first-time buyer. The development is ideally positioned near Highwoods Country Park and a short car or bus journey from the town centre.
Currently available homes include the three-bedroom Chestergate town house, featuring a living/dining room and an en suite bathroom, priced from £194,950. St James Park also offers three-bedroom terraced houses from £224,950, four-bedroom terraced houses from £264,950 and five-bedroom town houses starting at £299,950. Two-bedroom mews houses, and four-bedroom town houses are currently awaiting release.
Get more information about St James Park by calling the marketing suite on 01206 752798.
A further George Wimpey scheme is Foundry Walk, an innovative development of properties including delightful family homes set in a charming unspoilt village nestled in the Colne Valley and surrounded by the rolling countryside of north Essex. The village offers a primary school, recreation centre with facilities for squash, badminton and tennis, two golf clubs and a leisure centre.
Close to Halstead and Coggeshall, Foundry Walk offers excellent access to transport. Trains into London from either Kelvedon or Witham station take around 40 minutes – and Stansted Airport can be reached in the same amount of time. Three-bedroom terraced houses are priced from £189,500, while three-bedroom town houses start at £199,950. Three-bedroom houses are soon to be released. Call 01787 222996.
For more information on any of George Wimpey’s current developments, whether in Colchester or elsewhere, visit georgewimpey.co.uk.