Sales director at David Wilson Homes Southern, Rob Allen, tells us the latest about the landmark Newbury Racecourse and its latest phase, The Chase, and how the properties and locations continue to attract so many buyers.
Please tell us a little about yourself and David Wilson Homes.
I am the sales director for David Wilson Homes’ Southern division based in Hungerford, Berkshire. I have been with the company for five years and have been in the new homes industry for over 24 years. Our division currently provides quality new homes in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire. David Wilson Homes Southern recently received the maximum five-star rating in the new Home Builders Federation (HBF) annual New Homes Survey for the ninth year in a row.
What does the Newbury Racecourse development involve, and which stage are you at now?
This outstanding development of luxury apartments and townhouses has been designed to respect and respond to its unique setting at the heart of one of the UK's premier horse racing venues.
Overlooking the famous Mile Straight at Newbury Racecourse, the new homes feature elegant elevations and a blend of traditional and contemporary materials, to sit harmoniously alongside the iconic grandstands.
We are currently working on our latest phase of townhouses at The Chase, with the first residents having moved in late last year. We currently have 25 legally completed homes at The Chase, with many more reserved and we currently have four show homes available to view.
What kind of properties are now available there?
At Newbury Racecourse we offer our customers a range of beautifully crafted, quality-built homes and currently have a selection of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and three-, four- and five-bedroom townhouses available.
By having such a diverse and varied portfolio, homebuyers can benefit from a choice of our different homes that will suit their needs. As we offer different-sized properties, we have found that we have something to suit everyone’s price ranges, whether they’re a first-time buyer looking to get on the property ladder or a growing family looking for more space.
Have you had a diverse range of buyers so far and what are the features that have attracted them?
We’ve found that fans of horseracing and those who like luxury living and superior surroundings have loved this unique concept for a housing development. Many of the homes feature balconies that look out onto the racing track and offer a front-row view for race days and stunning and peaceful views all year round.
We’ve had a range of residents move into the development from first-time buyers getting onto the property ladder to couples in their 70s looking for a relaxing way to enjoy their retirement.
I think the diverse range of nearby amenities is appealing to many buyers and with London less than an hour away on the train; it’s becoming a commuter hotspot.
Is there a standard interior specification or have buyers got a choice about certain details of their new home?
We provide a bespoke service called Expressions, which allows homebuyers to add extras to their new home before moving in and upgrade the standard fixtures and fittings. Before the roof goes on and the house becomes watertight, customers have a chance to personalise aspects of their new home, for example, tiling choices, kitchen appliances and electrics (additional plug sockets, lights etc). Once the roof goes on, customers still have the chance to pick their flooring but it is certainly advantageous to buy early in order to secure their personalised home.
David Wilson Homes offers a lot of purchase assistance schemes – have they been useful to your customers?
We have found the government-backed Help to Buy scheme, Part Exchange and our bespoke Movemaker scheme to have all been extremely popular with our customers. Help to Buy is ideal for a lot of buyers because it allows them to purchase a home with just a 5% deposit and a 75% mortgage. The remaining 20% is funded by an equity loan, interest-free for the first five years and repayable on the sale on the home.
Part Exchange is a popular initiative which is great for people who are looking to move to a larger home, but are struggling to find a buyer, or simply want to cut out all the hassle of selling the property independently.
It means a guaranteed buyer at fair market value and it takes the stress away from the customer allowing them to move into their brand new home as soon as it’s ready.
And our Movemaker initiative makes a buyer’s move stress-free as we act as a one-stop shop for all of their homebuying needs. This gives them a complementary estate agency service with a free, no-obligation valuation on their existing home.
What is it about the Newbury area that you find appealing?
Homes at Newbury Racecourse offer the best of town and country living because of their fantastic location. On-site facilities include a gym and spa at Nuffield Health, a nursery and golf course, and further afield residents can benefit from a host of amenities in Newbury.
Keen shoppers can take advantage of the pretty boutique and high street shops that line the town centre of Newbury. It also has a local Farmers Market and many restaurants available including Bill’s, Côte and Prezzo, perfect for a nice meal out.
Newbury also benefits from transport links to many towns in the South, and there is an on-site rail station with direct links to London which is very handy for our residents.
What are the future plans for this development and any others in the area?
With the first phase successfully underway, we will be looking to release more homes this summer.
We also have two new developments coming up in the local area on Hutton Close in Newbury and Water Lane in Greenham. These are both expected to launch in the coming months and we are looking forward to continuing to provide quality homes in the area.