Essex Countryside Offers Value for Money2 June 2009
“Value for money” is the key driver for property sales in the current economic climate, with house hunters demanding better deals on their purchases. Dave and Beth Posgate found this when they decided to relocate to The Thatchams, Countryside Properties’ development in Priors Green , Essex, where a range of three bedroom houses are available from just £215,000!
Dave, a 29 year old who was living in London, comments: “When Beth and I decided to get married, we wanted to buy somewhere which we could grow into but that didn’t overstretch us financially. We chose rural Essex because of its green open spaces and value for money, but we had to look at a lot of properties before we found the right one for us. When we saw The Thatchams, we knew we had found our perfect home. The location has a wonderful rural feel, the houses are well spaced and beautifully designed and we were also extremely impressed with what we got for our money.
“The house has three well proportioned bedrooms and a good sized garden, so it will be perfect when we decide to start our family. All of the appliances were included and because it is a newly built house, it is well insulated so our fuel bills are noticeably smaller. Our family and friends are over the moon that we have made such positive changes to our lives, so now we just have to concentrate on filling up those spare rooms!”
The Thatchams, at Priors Green in Essex, is currently offering a range of incentives to help secure your dream home, including a deposit assistance scheme. The development is a picturesque new community arranged along tree-lined streets which incorporates two village ponds.
The houses are all traditionally designed with pavilion hipped or mansard roofing and classic windows, but the development is also visually diverse as each property is either clad with rendering, weather boarding or built with classic brick work.
The Thatchams at Priors Green is ideally situated in the village of Little Canfield, which lies between Bishop’s Stortford and Great Dunmow in Essex. It is great access to plane, train and automobile links, with the M11 and Stansted airport nearby. The area also boasts several good schools.
Prices at The Thatchams start from £215,000 to £265,000 for a three bedroom house. Only one four bedroom house remains for sale, it is priced at £330,000. The marketing suite and show homes are open Thursday to Monday from 10.00am to 5.00pm. For more information telephone: 01279 874973 or visit www.thatchams.net
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For airport staff and airline crew, an easy commute to the airport is usually essential, due to their varied and lengthy work schedules. As the number of airline and airport workers grows, house builders and estate agents specifically target this jet set market. An excellent example of this is Countryside Properties’ new development, The Thatchams , in Priors Green, Little Canfield which is attracting a lot of these high flyers.
Slawomir Brzostowski, a 49 year old Polish pilot for Ryanair, has finally decided to clip his wings and put down roots at The Thatchams. He comments: “After years of throwing my money away on rent, I finally decided to take the plunge and buy my first house in the UK. I looked at some other new housing developments but I chose The Thatchams because it fits all of my criteria: an easy commute to Stansted, a rural location, near my friends, good size rooms and great value for money.
“The finish on my home is excellent and the quality of the design and craftsmanship is very high. It takes me 10 minutes, door-to-door, to get to work so it is absolutely perfect for me. I fly to over 100 destinations with my work, so it’s great to have such a wonderful home to come back to.”
For those with a property to sell, The Thatchams, at Priors Green in Essex, is currently offering Part Exchange. This scheme enables you to exchange your old house for a brand new one with a guaranteed buyer for a quicker, hassle free move and no estate agents fees to pay.
The Thatchams is a charming new community, arranged along tree-lined streets, which incorporates two village ponds. The properties include two and three bedroom terraced cottages and three and four bedroom detached houses.
The Thatchams at Priors Green is situated in the village of Little Canfield, which lies between Bishop’s Stortford and Great Dunmow in Essex. It is well served by convenient plane, train and road links, with the M11, A120 and Stansted Airport nearby. The area also boasts several good schools.
There is now limited availability on all four bedroom houses. The marketing suite and show homes are open Thursday to Monday from 10.00am to 5.00pm. For more information telephone: 01279 874973 or visit: www.thatchams.net
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Upsizing your house in a downturn may sound like a strange thing to do, but it is the advice prescribed by publications such as The Times and Country Life*, as well as many other property professionals. Upsizing in a falling market can actually save thousands of pounds, as Country Life explains, "If you sell a £500,000 house and buy a larger one worth £750,000, you might lose 10% (£10,000) off the one you're selling, but you'll save 10% (£75,000) on your new home a saving of £25,000."*
The challenge is how to find a buyer for your current property and finance such a move in this market. Part exchange is a fantastic way for people to continue to move and upsize in the current market and innovative housing developers, such as Countryside Properties, are improving their part exchange incentives to make the move easier.
Chris Crook, Subsidiary Managing Director, Countryside Properties, comments: "In this market part exchange has become one of the most cost effective and least stressful ways to move. It ensures that the buyer's current property is bought for a fair price, and also provides a secure chain and peace of mind. We have now introduced 'Part Exchange Plus', which takes a more flexible approach to part exchange by helping buyers with equity shortfalls in their properties, paying stamp duty or other related moving costs."
The Thatchams, at Priors Green in Essex, is currently offering 'Part Exchange Plus' and a number of properties have been sold already in 2009 using this scheme. The development is a charming new community arranged along tree-lined streets which incorporates two village ponds. The properties available are a combination of two and three bedroom terraced cottages and three and four bedroom detached houses.
The houses are all traditionally designed with pavilion hipped or mansard roofing and classic windows. However the development is visually diverse because the properties are either clad with buttermilk rendering, white weather boarding or built with classic brick work.
The Thatchams at Priors Green is ideally situated in the village of Little Canfield, which lies between Bishop's Stortford and Great Dunmow in Essex. It is well served by convenient plane, train and automobile links, with the M11 and Stansted airport nearby. The area also boasts several good schools.
For more information telephone: 01279 874973 or visit www.thatchams.net
*The Times 7th September 2008 and Country Life 8th January 2009
**Country Life 8th January 2009
Two Essex-based site managers from Countryside Properties have recently been chosen as NHBC’s (National House Building Council) ‘Pride in the Job’ Quality Award winning Site Managers, making them two of the best site managers in the UK.
John Howarth, Project Manager at The Thatchams, in Prior’s Green, and Martin Haymes, Senior Construction Manager at Fortuna Park, in Colchester, won the awards following a year-long judging period. They will now progress to the next stage of the competition, the Seal of Excellence Awards; the winners of which will be announced in the autumn.
Conceived in 1980, the ‘Pride in the Job’ competition aims to improve quality and raise the standard of service to homebuyers by focusing on the day-to-day operation of building sites and the work of Site Managers. Entrants are judged on consistency, leadership, technical expertise, interpretation, health and safety and the ‘X’ factor, something that makes that particular Site Manager stand out above the rest.
Chris Crook, Subsidiary Managing Director, Countryside Properties, comments: “The NHBC Pride in the Job Awards are some of the most highly regarded in the industry. These awards recognise the extremely high standards the company’s employees aspire to. It is a fantastic achievement to win this award. We wish John and Martin the best of luck for the next stage of the competition.”
The Thatchams, at Priors Green, Essex, is arranged along tree lined avenues and is fronted by two newly created village ponds. The development comprises 11 different house styles and offers two, three and four bedroom houses. The sales and marketing suite is open Thursday to Monday from 10.00am to 5.00pm. For further information telephone 01279 874973 or visit www.thatchams.net
Fortuna Park, in Colchester, Essex, is an appealing development and offers a diverse range of one and two bedroom apartments as well as two, three and four bedroom houses, all designed around mature landscaping and green open space. The properties are generously proportioned, built to the quality standards synonymous with Countryside Properties and all have a garage, carport or an allocated parking space. The sales and marketing suite is open Thursday to Monday from 10.00am to 5.00pm. For further information telephone 01206 549760 or visit www.fortunapark.net
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State-of-the-Art Play Area Comes to Priors Green, Essex31 July 2008
The government has recently recognised the importance of play for children by funding a national play strategy to the tune of £235 million over three years*. Play is essential to help children develop their social, physical, intellectual, creative and emotional skills and it is vitally important that children can play freely outdoors, therefore having well equipped play areas close to home could be a real bonus for parents and children.
Countryside Properties has provided a state-of-the-art play area at its new development, The Thatchams, at Priors Green, Essex . The recently complete play scheme, created by international play specialist company, Kompan Ltd., is designed to be a fun-filled environment for children from six years of age.
Steve Allison, Eastern Region Area Manager for Kompan Ltd., comments: "Countryside Properties briefed us to create a challenging, exciting children's play area and something that was different from the run-of-the-mill play facilities found at many developments. We combined two of our best selling ranges, Galaxy and Elements, to create an innovative, vibrant play area that will be fun and functional for children and will also be extremely hard wearing."
Chris Crook, Subsidiary Managing Director, Countryside Properties, comments: "Countryside Properties invests a huge amount of time and resources in the design and layout of its developments to ensure that they meet our extremely high standards . As many of the properties at The Thatchams are large family houses, it was very important to include play areas that would be attractive to children and that they would want to use time after time. The play area has been located right at the heart of the development and is already proving extremely popular with youngsters. In addition, every property also has its own spacious private garden and the development is also punctuated by green open spaces that are perfect for play."
The Thatchams, at Priors Green, in the popular village of Little Canfield, near Stansted, comprises a range of two, three and four bedroom houses arranged along attractive tree-lined avenues and quiet cul-de-sacs. Externally, the 11 different house styles showcase a range of finishes including classic red brickwork, buttermilk render, white weather boarding and red clay and grey slate roof tiles.
Interiors offer light and airy open plan living spaces. Fully fitted kitchens include stainless steel appliances and bathrooms include stylish white sanitaryware. Master bedrooms offer fitted wardrobes or dressing rooms as well as en-suite bathrooms.
Priors Green is ideally situated close to the M11, the A120 and M25. Stansted Airport is close by and the rail network connects with London Liverpool Street in approximately 45 minutes**. Bishop's Stortford is approximately six miles from the development and has a wide range of high street and boutique shops, restaurants, cafés and bars. There are also several excellent local schools.
The marketing suite and show home are open Thursday to Monday, from 10.00am to 5.00pm. For more information telephone 01279 874973 or visit www.thatchams.net
* Fair Play, announced April 2008
** www.thetrainline.com
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According to a recent survey, over 45% of people would prefer to live in a village location*. For Mr and Mrs Harris, their daughter Sara and their grandchildren, this is certainly the case as they have all recently moved from Romford to The Thatchams , a Countryside Properties development set in the new village of Priors Green, on the outskirts of Little Canfield, in Essex.
Linda Harris, 62, comments: “After having our daughter Sara and three grandsons live with us in Romford for five years, we missed the grandchildren terribly when they moved to The Thatchams. My husband and I were thinking of buying a new house in the near future anyway, as we wanted somewhere to retire to that didn’t need any work doing to it. When Sara and her partner bought at The Thatchams we decided to look there and ended up buying a stunning three bedroom semi-detached house at the development, which we could just move into and not have to worry about having anything done to it as it, was newly built plus we had equity from our old home to enable us to buy all new furniture too.”
Linda continues: “It really is a fresh start for all of us and it’s great to have our grandchildren close by again as they can pop in and out all the time. With Sara’s fourth due in a couple of weeks, it means that we’ll be around to help out after the birth. My husband owns a small dry cleaning business in London and can commute every day in just under an hour, so it’s a perfect location. We love being in a village, yet we are still close enough to the larger town of Bishops Stortford to enjoy the attractions that it offers.”
The Thatchams, at Priors Green is arranged along tree lined avenues and is fronted by two newly created village ponds. The development comprises two, three and four bedroom houses. Exteriors of the 11 different house styles showcase classic red brickwork, buttermilk rendering, white weather boarding and red clay and grey slate roof tiles.
Interiors offer open plan living spaces with doors that lead onto a garden. Fully fitted kitchens** include stainless steel appliances and bathrooms offer stylish white sanitaryware. Master bedrooms include fitted wardrobes or dressing rooms with en suite bathrooms.
Priors Green is ideally situated a short distance from the M11, M25 and the A120. Stansted Airport is easily accessible and the rail network connects with London Liverpool Street in approximately 45 minutes***. Only a few miles away is the town of Bishops Stortford, which has a whole host of high street and boutique shops, restaurants, cafés and bars. There are several excellent local schools in the surrounding area.
The marketing suite and show home is open every day from 10.00am to 5.00pm. For more information telephone: 01279 874973 or visit www.thatchams.net
* Savills Occupier Demand Survey 2007
** Choices subject to stage of construction
*** www.thetrainline.com
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An elegant four bedroom house, the architecture of which has been influenced by the local architectural vernacular and features a traditional buttermilk-coloured rendered façade, is for sale at The Thatchams , Countryside Properties’ award-winning development at Priors Green, Essex.
The exterior of the pretty two storey ‘Buchanan’ house design combines buttermilk render with smart grey roof tiles, a glossy red front door and a redbrick chimney with brick detailing. The house may have a traditional exterior, but internally it has been finished to a high contemporary specification and has been designed to meet an EcoHomes rating of ‘Good’. This means reduced running costs through greater energy and water efficiency and reduced maintenance. Each house has a large private garden, a private garage for two cars and an additional off-street parking space.
Internally, the four bedroom house has a traditional, family-style layout spread over more than 1,500 sq ft of living space. The ground floor offers a large sitting room, separate dining room, with a bay window, a spacious kitchen / breakfast room and a WC. Both the sitting room and the breakfast room have French doors opening onto the garden or patio. Upstairs the master bedroom has an en-suite shower room and the three further bedrooms are serviced by a family bathroom.
Purchasers can choose from a range of contemporary fitted kitchens* with chrome fixtures and fittings and the stylish en-suites and family bathrooms offer chic white sanitary ware.
The Thatchams is set in the new development of Priors Greenon the outskirts of the popular village of Little Canfield. Two, three and four bedroom houses are sited along tree lined avenues and the development is fronted by two pretty new village ponds. Externally, the 11 different house styles each take influence from traditional local architecture and showcase smart red brickwork, buttermilk rendering, white weather boarding and red clay and grey slate roof tiles.
Priors Green is well located a short distance from the M11 and the A120. Stansted Airport and the M25 are easily accessible and the rail network connects with London Liverpool Street in approximately 45 minutes**. The town of Bishops Stortford is a few miles away and has a wide selection of high street and boutique shops, restaurants, cafés and bars. There are also several excellent local schools in the surrounding area.
The sales and marketing suite is open every day from 10.00am to 5.00pm. For more information telephone: 01279 874973 or visit: www.thatchams.net
* Choices Subject to stage of construction
** www.thetrainline.com
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Despite a regular flow of negative media coverage about the state of the housing market, demand for homes is still outstripping supply at The Thatchams , a stunning development of new homes at Priors Green, near Great Dunmow, Essex. To help sate this ongoing demand, award winning housebuilder, Countryside Properties, is bringing an additional 20 new homes on to the build schedule for 2008.
Suzanne Hunt, Head of Sales and Marketing, Countryside Properties, comments: “The Thatchams is outperforming company sales forecasts, consistently selling at 40 per cent above our monthly targets. It is very exciting to watch this development grow and thrive as a new community is created. Although there is no doubt that the market this year will be tough, the level of interest we continue to see at The Thatchams is by no means an anomaly; in fact we are seeing strong sales across this region. The well designed homes, superior build quality and attention to detail for which Countryside Properties is renowned, combined with an excellent location close to the M11, has resulted in the development’s ongoing success.”
The Thatchams occupies a prominent position within the village of Priors Green, located on the outskirts of the popular village of Little Canfield. Two village ponds front the development and the two, three and four bedroom houses flank tree-lined boulevards. There are also two landscaped children’s play areas at the heart of the development.
Externally the properties utilise the best elements of traditional architectural design. The colourful streetscape is home to 11 different house types which combine red brickwork, buttermilk rendering, white weather boarding and red clay and grey slate roof tiles, all influenced by the local architectural vernacular. Varied rooflines, bay windows, dormer windows and porches give the development a strong character.
Internally each property has been designed with the buyer in mind. Great emphasis has been placed on creating well proportioned, light and airy living spaces. Houses feature open plan kitchen/breakfast or kitchen/living areas, with doors leading onto a garden. Master bedrooms have either fitted wardrobes or dressing rooms and an en-suite shower or bathroom fitted with sleek white sanitary ware and chrome fixtures and fittings.
Every property at The Thatchams has an EcoHomes rating of Good and incorporates eco-friendly features , including dual flush toilets and water butts in the garden, designed to help residents play their part in preserving the environment without impacting on their daily lives.
Bishop’s Stortford is just over six miles from The Thatchams and has a wide range of high street and boutique shops, cafes, bars and restaurants, as well as excellent local schools. Priors Green is conveniently located just four miles from junction 8 of the M11, which offers access to London in the South and North to Cambridge and beyond. There are regular trains to London Liverpool Street from Bishop’s Stortford train station, taking approximately 43 minutes*. London Stansted Airport is just under three miles from the development.
Prices at The Thatchams start from £200,000 for a two bedroom house, from £236,000 for a three bedroom house and from £350,000 for a four bedroom house. For further information contact the Marketing Suite on telephone: 0845 071 2072 or visit: www.thatchams.net.
*National Rail
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According to the NHBC (National House Building Council), who insure over eighty per cent of all new homes in the UK, the construction of apartments is outstripping detached family houses more than two fold. Apartments now occupy more than 54% of the new homes market (smartnewhomes.com) whereas detached family homes make up just 26%. UK developer Countryside Properties highlights that this lack is resulting in a major shortage, which in turn means that prices for detached houses are rising in price three times faster than apartments.
Countryside Properties is redressing this balance and offering potential purchasers excellent opportunities at two new schemes in Essex, Saffron Green situated in the picturesque town of Saffron Walden, and the Thatchams at Priors Green in Little Canfield near Takeley.
Yvonne Hudson-Green, Sales and Marketing Director for Countryside Properties, comments: “At Countryside Properties, we have found that with apartments making up such a large proportion of newly built properties, larger family properties are in real demand. Both Saffron Green and Priors Green are prime examples of popular areas that have been lacking in detached houses suitable for the needs of families.”
Saffron Green offers a collection of 55 contemporary homes, with a wide selection of detached four bedroom family homes. The Whitehall, an attractive four bedroom home over three floors, is just one of the larger detached properties available at Saffron Green. Ideal for families, it offers up to 100 sq metres (1,076 sq. ft.) of living space arranged with the modern family in mind, with a spacious open plan kitchen and dining area leading into the garden, three generous bedrooms on the first floor and a stunning master bedroom occupying the entire second floor.
Priors Green is a brand new village community, unique in the area because it is the only large development exclusively containing houses. There is a wide variety of family housing, and with eleven different house designs, there is something to suit every family. All the homes feature carefully designed flexible interiors, gardens and parking to meet the needs of today’s active families. The Franklin, the largest of the homes available at Priors Green, is an elegant and spacious four bedroom detached home. The large living room and kitchen/breakfast room, both with French doors leading to the garden, and a separate dining room, provide lots of space for all the family and make it ideal for entertaining.
Peter Amos from Mullucks Wells Estate Agents comments; "There always seems to be a strong demand for 4 bedroom houses, particularly as developers tend to build more apartments these days. The cost of moving has risen considerably in recent years and people generally tend to stay in larger houses for long periods of time. Subsequently, the supply coming to the market is limited and never quenches the demand for such houses. This, coupled with the excellent schools in the area, keeps the demand strong for 4 bedroom family homes."
To help make purchasers move to their brand new home as smooth and hassle free as possible, Countryside Properties is providing buyers at Saffron Green with up to £15,000 to help with moving costs along with part-exchange on their existing property. The part-exchange offer, also available at Priors Green, will not only mean that purchasers can move quickly, removing the need to secure a buyer for their home, but it will also avoid inflated agency fees.
Prices at Saffron Green start from £435,000 for a four-bedroom detached house, with a beautiful new show home recently opened for viewing. For further information and to visit a show home, contact Countryside Properties on 01799 523191 or visit www.saffrongreen.co.uk
Prices at The Thatchams, Priors Green start at £391,950 for a four-bedroom detached house. For further details or to view the show home, contact Countryside Properties on 01279 874973 or visit www.thatchams.com
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Issued on behalf of Countryside Properties by Trimedia Harrison Cowley
Media contacts: Joanna Bentley / Amy Lambert on 0207 404 6777
Record numbers attend launch of Priors Green20 April 2007
The Thatchams at Priors Green a brand new community in Little Canfield, Essex, by Countryside Properties attracted record numbers of potential buyers at its sales launch last week. Over 200 discerning homebuyers attended the launch and no less than five reservations were taken on the day.
Yvonne Hudson-Green, Sales and Marketing Director for Countryside Properties, says: “The Thatchams offers a collection of highly-sought after family homes, so it is not surprising that we saw such high interest at the launch. Government planning policy has led many developers to build a high number of one and two bedroom apartments meaning there is a short supply of family homes with gardens, which are the properties that buyers actually want.”
The Thatchams offers a collection of two, three and four bedroom family houses with varied external finishes and carefully designed flexible interiors which meet the needs of today’s active families. The homes are tucked behind two new village ponds and a tree-lined avenue to create the feel of an established residential setting with a true sense of place.
Priors Green will offer over 700 new homes across a 90 acre site with no less than 10 acres of public open space, and land has been set aside for a new neighbourhood centre with retail and community facilities. There is also land set aside for a future new primary school, subject to proven need.
For further information on the homes at The Thatchams telephone 01279 874 992 or visit www.thatchams.com
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Issued on behalf of Countryside Properties by Trimedia Harrison Cowley
Media contacts: Joanna Bentley / Amy Lambert on 020 7404 6777 or email joanna.bentley@trimediahc.com