A Bellway development in one of Bristol’s suburbs is becoming a perfect home for a whole spectrum of homebuyers.
Abbotscroft is bringing a range of 77 three- and four-bedroom houses to the east of Bristol, just 20 minutes from the city centre but also 20 minutes from the Cotswolds, making it an ideal location for people who would like to mix urban and rural life. The home styles have attracted an array of buyers, from those purchasing a first home to some downsizing from an older home to one that needs very low maintenance and comes with all ‘mod cons’.
A retired couple have found the perfect size home for them. Ann and Keith Coveney moved into their new home in February this year.
Ann, 71, a retired retail worker, and Keith, 75, a design engineer, had lived in their old house nearby for 30 years but found the upkeep of their garden to be challenging.
Their first attempt at downsizing – to a two-bedroom home in Longwell Green – was not successful as they realised their new place was too small. Fortunately, once they’d seen the three-bedroom ‘Shipton’ at Abbotscroft, they knew their search for the perfect place was at an end.
Ann said: “The garden of our old house was fairly big, meaning we would have to spend a lot of time fixing the garden up whenever we would go away. We moved from that home into a smaller, two-bedroom property in Longwell Green, but we only lived there for a year because we realised it was too small.
“We found the home we are living in now after looking for about four months. Our daughter lives in a Bellway home in Whitchurch, which is how we found out about them.
“We visited Abbotscroft to view the showhouse and we really liked it. We were open-minded with what type of house we were going to buy but the show house really sold us on the development and Bellway.”
Ann and Keith decided a new build property would be ideal for them as it would mean that they would not have to spend time fixing the house up.
Ann continued: “We knew that we would be able to move straight in with no problems left over from a previous owner. It’s a good feeling to be the first people to live in the house. The ‘Shipton’ house type is perfect for us. It is somewhere that we feel is comfortable for us to live in and also the right size for us.
“My favourite room in the house is the kitchen. It gets plenty of sun which is great to wake up to first thing in the morning – it’s nice and bright. I also love that we have a separate bathroom as well as an en suite. Our old house only had one bathroom and having two makes things a lot easier when we have guests come over and visit.”
As well as their new home itself being ideal, the convenient amenities that surround the development were also a big selling point for the couple.
Ann said: “Abbotscroft is based in a good location for us. There is a Marks and Spencer, a Boots and other similar shops that are only a five- to ten-minute walk away.
“There are also big fields towards the bottom of the development which my husband loves. He’s football mad so the fact that he can sit and watch teams play football on the fields right by our house is great for him, especially as he’s not able to attend the stadiums right now.”
After a period of trial and error, Ann and Keith have now found the home that suits them and their lifestyle perfectly – offering comfort and security.
Ann said: “Moving to our new home has had a great impact on our lives. The fact that our house is so low-maintenance means that we are able to travel without any worries, and when we return, we are able to come home to a quiet development with friendly neighbours.
“I would definitely recommend Bellway to friends and family. Lucie, who was part of the sales team at Abbotscroft, and Ashley, the assistant site manager, were really helpful. They made sure that we were kept informed all the way up until we were able to move in and made the move go so smoothly, even though we were away in Spain at the time.”
Two life-changing events took place just over a week apart for Bristol couple Babul and Gemma – receiving the keys to their brand new home and the birth of their first child.
Babul, 40, and Gemma, 29, moved into a three-bedroom detached house on 4 September – just nine days before welcoming baby Noah into the world.
The married couple, who were previously living in an old three-bedroom house in Fishponds, began their search for a new place last year after finding out they were going to become parents.
They reserved at Abbotscroft on 29 Januar, but when the country went into lockdown in March, they feared their new house wouldn’t be finished until after their son was born.
However, the couple said Bellway pulled out all the stops to make sure they were in their new home in time for Noah’s arrival.
“We tried to renovate our old house, but we weren’t able do it to the standard we wanted”, said Gemma.
“So, we started to look for a new build home to ensure we had a better space to live in with little work needed, just in time for the arrival of our baby.”
Babul added: “We wanted to find a home in Hanham as we think it’s a very convenient location, and Abbotscroft is perfectly positioned near all the shops you need – there’s Gallagher Retail Park, an Asda and a Sainsburys store all close by.
“For leisure, everything we need is within a 10-minute drive too, including a cinema, a gym, restaurants, a swimming pool and a Costa coffee shop.”
After registering their interest online, Babul and Gemma received a call from Bellway when a three-bedroom ‘Shipton’ house was released onto the market.
Babul said: “We went to visit the site to check it out. Everything we had on our list, the home had too. It had many key features which were important to us, such as a garage and driveway – so we don’t have to walk very far to reach the house with the baby.
“My favourite room is the open-plan kitchen and dining area, as it looks great and there are lots of useful accessories such as the double oven and built-in microwave. The whole house has lots of space and is very well laid out.
“We felt relieved and excited when we got the keys, and we’re so thankful to Lucie, the sales advisor, who went the extra mile to ensure we were able to move before Noah’s birth. She was a life saver. Lucie also sent us picture updates of the build progress of our home every week, and Bellway sent us cards and a branded baby grow to celebrate Noah’s birth.
“Ashley and Rob, the site managers, keep checking in on us and they have really helped with a lot of things since the move. The staff keep in close contact and provide an excellent service.
“We now get to make the most of being in a much warmer, cosier and tidier house which has a real homely feel. We can just walk in and put our feet up and not have to worry about anything.”
Gemma said: “It’s relaxing to come home to a new house and know that very little maintenance is required!”
Babul added: “We would definitely recommend buying with Bellway – we’ve had a great experience.”
There is currently a range of three- and four-bedroom homes remaining at Abbotscroft, with prices starting from £417,000.
Find out more about some current Bellway developments.
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