Newmarket area offers ideal commuter base for Cambridge
Several well-known house builders have recently released new homes in and around the unique Suffolk market town of Newmarket, famous for its thoroughbred horse breeding - and since it is situated so near to Cambridge, these homes offer a very feasible commuter alternative to living in the city.
Newmarket itself is a local business hub, mainly focused on horse breeding and racing, but many residents there travel to work in Cambridge, a 21-minute rail journey or a 30-minute drive away, while London is only 65 miles south.
Besides being widely regarded as the birthplace of thoroughbred horse racing, Newmarket boasts many listed buildings, some lovely shops, and a good range of recreational facilities, restaurants and cafés. The railway station is on the Cambridge-Bury St. Edmunds-Ipswich rail line, providing convenient commuter links, while regular bus services run to Bury St. Edmunds, Cambridge, Ely and Mildenhall.
Less than five miles from the centre of Newmarket in the neighbouring village of Kentford, Bidwells has created three-, four- and five-bedrooom homes at Farrier's Grange in a variety of styles to suit a wide range of buyers. Priced from £329,950 upwards, and set in a pretty village just off the A14, residents will have a good range of local amenities nearby, both in Kentford itself and in the adjoining village of Kennett - including pubs, a village shop and post office, a petrol station, a playing field and a primary school. Kennet railway station has direct trains to London Liverpool Street in under an hour and to Cambridge in half an hour, as well as frequent services to Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich and Peterborough.
In a rural location ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, and only seven miles from Newmarket, The Village Square at Kings Warren is a development of traditional two- and three-bedroom homes from Crest Nicholson, inspired by time-honoured East Anglian styles of building. Situated in the sought-after community of Red Lodge, these new homes are priced from £175,000 to £220,000, and will benefit from a brand new local primary school, sports pavilion, allotments, play areas and village centre.
The A11 and A14 offer easy access to all routes north, south, east and west, linking Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge - while Kennett Station is only a short drive away. Less than a mile down the road and also in Red Lodge, Taylor Wimpey's Concept won the prestigious NHBC 'Pride In The Job' award in 2013. This development offers a mix of one- to five-bedroom homes priced from £159,995 to £310,995, potentially appealing to first time buyers right through to established families.
A little further afield in a rural setting about 12 miles from Newmarket, on the fringes of the popular market town of Haverhill, The Arboretum is a new development from Taylor Wimpey. Offering one- to five-bedroom homes priced from £166,995 to £254,995, these homes enjoy countryside views and walks from their doorstep. They are also in an ideal location for commuters, with Newmarket nearby and excellent links to Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds. Havehill town centre is less than two miles away for everyday amenities plus a weekly market, a leisure centre, a golf course, a skate park and a new cinema and restaurant complex.