Sixth form students design perfect second-stepper home for Thewlis family

A Wareham couple have taken their first steps onto the property ladder thanks to the Government’s Help to Buy scheme.

Mansel and Alice Thewlis upsized into a four-bedroom detached family house at Bloor Homes’ Westgate development in Wareham, Dorset, just weeks after the arrival of their baby daughter Madeline.

Mansel, 37, and Alice, 28, were previously living in a smaller property and were keen to find somewhere bigger to accommodate their growing family.

They discovered that with Help to Buy, which enabled them to purchase their home at Westgate with just a five per cent deposit and 75 per cent mortgage, they could get much more house for their money.

Under the scheme, which has recently been extended to at least 2020, the remaining 20% of the purchase price is provided by the Government as an equity loan, which is interest free for the first five years.

Alice said: “We were originally looking at purchasing a three-bedroom home, but when we learned about the Help to Buy initiative we were able to afford a larger house.

“Our previous property was a lot smaller and it’s a real luxury to have the space to grow our family in this new home.”

The interior of Mansel and Alice’s house was designed by two sixth form students, who won a competition run by Bloor to inspire the next generation of architects and interior designers, and the couple could not be more delighted with the outcome.

The designs by Ella Howlett and Rebe Casseldon, both 16, from Eastbourne College, included a translucent office space, open-plan kitchen/dining area and en-suite for the master bedroom, all of which have been physically recreated in the home.

Alice said: “The students have done a fantastic job. Everything looks very light and modern - you would think it was designed by professionals.

“We love the open plan kitchen /dining area with the big French doors that back out onto the garden. It’s a lovely spot to relax.

“We are now starting to settle in, and it’s beginning to feel like a home. All the staff at Bloor Homes have been very good, especially the site manager who has looked after us very well and made us feel very welcome.”

The final properties have now been released for sale at Westgate, so this is the last chance for buyers to secure a home at the development.

A range of three and four bedroom homes are currently available, priced between £350,000 and £525,000.

For more information call 01929 448580 or visit www.bloorhomes.com.