Buckinghamshire’s bustling towns and charming hamlets are a favourite for home buyers. Johnny Turner sees what’s currently available.
With its rolling hills, cosy villages, well-connected commuter towns and its friendly pace, Buckinghamshire has lured a variety of buyer types from London and beyond. New developments offer a range of homes, from starter apartments to large family homes.
Starting in Milton Keynes, Bellway Homes offers a scheme that is ideal for water sports enthusiasts – or for anyone who appreciates the beauty of a canalside location. Broughton MK, situated just off Chaffron Way, is a collection of 234 new homes, including one- and two-bedroom apartments and three-, four- and five-bedroom houses.
With Willen Lake only a three-minute car drive or ten-minute bicycle ride away, water sports-loving residents at Broughton MK will be able to indulge in windsurfing, sailing and water skiing. A tributary of the Grand Union Canal runs by the scheme and Milton Keynes village, with its 12th-century All Saints Church, is only a few minutes away.
The Redway, a network of pedestrian and cycle paths, encircles the development, allowing residents to walk or cycle safely to Willen Lake or the centre of Milton Keynes. To meet the need for cycle storage, garages have been extended to include bicycle racks, while apartment buildings will have cycle areas. Local schools are plentiful and the Kingston Centre is accessible for its Tesco hypermarket, Marks & Spencer, restaurants and leisure facilities.
For rail commuters, regular trains run from Milton Keynes station to London Euston in around 50 minutes. Motorists can reach links to the M1 and A5 within minutes.
Broughton MK is still in the construction stage, and buyers can currently choose from a range of incentives, including five per cent deposit paid, cashback, or stamp duty and legal fees paid. Conditions apply. Call the marketing suite, open daily from 10am to 5pm and until 8pm on Thursday, on 01908 395463.
Also in Milton Keynes, Miller Homes offers Oakhill View, which has a range of homes that will appeal to a variety of buyers, from first-timers to large families. An example is The Chantrey, a three-story town house with four bedrooms, priced from £274,950. It has a large kitchen and breakfast room, separate dining room, living room and separate family room, as well as a utility room. This home is ideal for the growing family in need of increased space. With the Chantrey, too, Miller is offering its very popular part-exchange scheme to qualifying buyers, making it easy to trade up to a new home with lots more room. With this scheme, Miller buys your old home, giving you a guaranteed buyer at a guaranteed price and no estate agents’ fees to pay on completion.
For those in search of lateral living you want, Miller also has a range of two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments at Oakhill View, built to a similar high level of specification as the rest of the development and priced from £164,950. These homes are ideal for first-time buyers – and to give them a money-saving start on the property ladder Miller will also pay the five per cent deposit. These offers are subject to terms and conditions.
Apartments are planned to suit informal, modern lifestyles, with a well-equipped kitchen opening into a dining area and living room. The master bedroom has an en suite shower room as well as fitted wardrobes. Like all the homes at Oakhill View, they have Roca bathrooms, and kitchens with AEG appliances, and are carpeted throughout.
The sales centre at Oakhill View is off Tattenhoe Street to the west of the city and open daily from 10am to 5pm. Call 0845 676 0166.
Redrow’s sought-after development The Cedars, located in Hazlemere near High Wycombe, is finding favour with a range of buyers, including empty-nesters.
Just a short distance from High Wycombe town centre, Redrow is creating a stunning range of one- and two-bedroom apartments – perfect bases from which to enjoy new-found freedom.
Paul Moran, sales director for Redrow Homes (Southern) said: ‘Many people who have purchased a property at The Cedars are older buyers, looking for a home that fits in with their busy lifestyle. They no longer need lots of bedrooms but instead want a low-maintenance home, without compromising on style or quality.’
The Cedars is ideally situated in an established residential area, which provides its residents with all the necessary amenities such as shops, pubs and restaurants, making it ideal for downsizers. With High Wycombe surrounded by beautiful countryside and areas of outstanding natural beauty, The Cedars is also perfect for quiet country walks or bike rides, while London is also within easy commuting distance.
The homes at the Cedars score well on both the security side and with regard to energy efficiency. Each apartment comes with a single parking space included in the price. Prices for a one-bedroom apartment start at £193,950, while two-bedroom apartments are priced from £212,950. Cal the sales consultant on 01494 718347.
In Burnham town centre, another good bet for downsizers is Penn House, a modern development of stylish one- and two-bedroom apartments designed by Bryant Homes exclusively for over-55s. All homes are carpeted and have a fully fitted kitchen with high-quality appliances including oven, microwave, and washer/dryer. Many apartments benefit from an en suite bathroom and some have balconies.
The residents' communal lounge offers a fantastic place in which to relax and entertain friends and family, and the professionally maintained landscaped garden allows residents to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine without the worry of its upkeep. A video entry system offers discreet additional security and a concierge service is also available to welcome guests and deal with residents’ queries. Over half of the apartments have now been sold.
The development offers good access to the M40, M25 and M4, while nearby Beaconsfield train station provides direct train services to London Marylebone.
Prices for a one-bedroom apartment start at £204,950. Call 01628 663958.
At Linden Homes’ Cranwells Meadow development in Farnham Common, 14 homes have already been sold off-plan. With the newly completed show home ready for viewing, the remaining properties should sell just as quickly.
The Cranwells Meadow development benefits from a sought-after village location and is within easy reach of the village centre for local amenities. For commuters, the development has easy access to the A355 and the M4 and M40 motorways.
Helen Todd, sales and marketing director of Linden Homes Chiltern, says, ‘It really is a superb village location, which is why we have had such a fantastic response with homes being reserved even prior to the official launch. Customers are recognising that superior homes in such a sought-after and established residential location are not going to take long to sell and are taking advantage of buying off-plan in order to personalise their new home. The newly opened show home demonstrates the kind of lifestyle available.’
The homes have designer fitted kitchens with natural granite worktops and fully integrated stainless steel appliances by De Dietrich. A choice of floor and wall tiles are also available in the bathrooms, where purchasers will find luxury pristine white sanitaryware and underfloor heating.
Prices for the two-bedroom apartments start at £299,950 while houses are priced from £550,000. Call the sales and marketing suite, open daily from 10am to 5pm, on 01753 646192. Visit lindenhomes.co.uk.
Ashwell Gardens, the KingsOak Thames Valley development in Penn village, is cruising nearing sell-out. Only one two-bedroom apartment remains in the new Alnwick House building, priced at £304,995, while two apartments are left in the refurbished Grade II listed manor house – a one-bedroom at £234,995 and a two-bedroom apartment with a study, available at £404,995. There are also two semi-detached homes remaining, each offering just under 2,000 sq ft of space and priced at £550,995. KingsOak is extending its part-exchange facility on the semi-detached homes and will pay full market value for your present home, subject to certain conditions.
The delightful village is popular with London commuters for its easy access by road and rail. Beaconsfield is the nearest mainline station, while there is also a London Underground link at Amersham. For motorists, Junction 3 of the M40 is nearby at Loudwater. High Wycombe is also just three miles away. For more information please telephone the sales office on 01494 818909.
Work has begun at George Wimpey South Midlands’ brand new lakeside development in the attractive town of Woburn Sands on the border of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Ideally situated just a mile from the centre of the beautiful Woburn Sands, Parklands will feature a range of two-bedroom apartments and three-, four- and five-bedroom homes.
These new high-quality homes will benefit from a high standard of specification, including gas central heating, double glazing and a fitted kitchen with built-in oven, hob and hood. The development has already attracted a high level of interest from house hunters who have been excited by the prospect of moving to this exciting location in one of the most desirable parts of the county.
Jason Colmer, Sales & Marketing Director for George Wimpey South Midlands, says, ‘Parklands is set to become the flagship development for the region, with a wide range of homes to suit every need, striking architectural features and a stunning setting with an established lake at its heart.’ Buyer interest was obvious, he says, from months before the first of the homes were released for sale. George Wimpey’s easymover programme will offer a range of special incentives on selected properties, including support for first- time buyers as well as those with a house to sell.
Woburn Sands enjoys a unique charm and character and offers a wide variety of everyday amenities, including a large selection of shops, a Post Office, banks, restaurants and traditional village inns. The village also features a medical centre, a dentists’ surgery, a primary and middle school, and a recreation ground.
Woburn Sands is surrounded by attractive woodland and countryside, providing the perfect retreat for those who enjoy the great outdoors, while the fast growing city of Milton Keynes is only six miles away with its wide choice of shopping and leisure facilities. Rail commuters will find the town’s rail station a short walk away, offering regular services to London and the North, while drivers will find the M1 and A5 within easy reach.
The sales centre at Parklands is due to open in the near future. In the meantime, further information on this and other George Wimpey developments is available on 01908 544800.
Banners Homes is selling Willow Court in Gerrards Cross, an exclusive collection of four three-bedroom apartments and one two-bedroom penthouse. All of the apartments are built to the highest standards, with spacious living areas, beautifully designed interiors, spacious fitted wardrobes and a lift servicing the upper floors. Ground floor apartments have their own private gardens, while those on the upper levels benefit from landscaped communal gardens, maintained by Banner Homes.
The apartments contain kitchens with black granite work surfaces, under-unit lighting and downlighters and stainless steel integrated appliances. Bedrooms have sizeable fitted wardrobes and bathrooms feature stylish white sanitaryware, heated towel rails, chrome-effect fixtures and recessed down lights. The development has vehicular and pedestrian gates with a telephone entry system, 24-hour access code and remote opening.
Gerrards Cross offers wonderful shopping, leisure and entertainment options. There is a nearby supermarket, as well as a continental food hall, a variety of quality boutiques and other retail shops, not to mention plenty of restaurants and country inns. The town has its own cinema and library, and there are a number of fitness centres and tennis and golf clubs in the surrounding area.
The mainline station runs regular services into London Marylebone in around 30 minutes. The M25, M40 and M4 motorways are also easily accessible. Heathrow airport is approximately 15 miles away, Gatwick approximately 44 miles and Luton approximately 33 miles.
Prices at Willlow Court range from £525,000 to £575,000. For further information contact the sales advisers on 01753 890907.
Also from Banner, the exclusive new Gardener Walk development in Holmer Green has recently been launched. Located in the heart of the Chilterns, Gardener Walk offers the very latest in contemporary living. New homes in such a private location are rare, so prospective buyers are advised to act quickly.
Gardener Walk comprises a collection of just 13 carefully designed two- and four-bedroom homes. Benefiting from rolling chalk hills, lush beech woods and quiet valleys, this is the prefect location for those wishing to take advantage of outdoor life.
The houses at Gardener Walk feature spacious lounges, large kitchens and beautifully designed interiors. The four-bedroom homes feature kitchens with dark granite work surfaces, under-unit lighting and downlighters as well as stainless steel and integrated appliances. Bedrooms one and two have fitted wardrobes, and bathrooms are fitted with stylish white sanitaryware, heated towel rails, chrome fixtures and recessed downlights.
Holmer Green has a good range of shops to cater for everyday needs, while just a short distance away, Amersham, Chesham and Beaconsfield offer a wider range of shopping facilities.
Prices at Gardener Walk currently start at £485,000. Call the selling agents on 01494 715544.
Following on from the success of Bryant Homes' Fairford Leys development in the area, the developer unveils The Square at Grand Central, situated close to Aylesbury railway station. The development will have 90 one- and two bedroom apartments. The emphasis here is on quality and affordability, combined with proximity to local amenities and transport links.
All apartments come with a fully fitted kitchen including an integrated fridge/freezer, dishwasher and washer/dryer. Most apartments have an en suite bathroom and either a patio or balcony.
Bryant Homes' regional sales manager, Donna Beange, said: ‘We expect The Square at Grand Central to attract a great deal of attention from house hunters as Bryant is well known in the area. These apartments will be ideal for first-time buyers or young professionals, as they will be reasonably priced with a view to enabling people to make the first step onto the property ladder. We will also have a first-time buyer package in place to help make the step even easier.
Beange predicts the combination of convenient location and high spec will attract a great deal of buyer interest. ‘We are recommending that buyers register their interest sooner rather than later to make sure they are amongst the first to find out price and build information,’ she says.
For further information on the homes available at The Square at Grand Central call 01296 488111.