Homes that work for working women
According to government statistics, 70% of working age women are employed with 43% in full time jobs and 27% working part time. In contrast 2.1m women stay at home to look after their children, and a record 227,000 men care for the kids while their partner goes out to work.
At Great Oaks in Broadbridge Heath, near Horsham, Sussex, Countryside Properties has a stunning collection of 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses that are perfect for busy parents and the changing needs of their growing families. As part of the overall masterplan at Wickhurst Green, which has been designed to create a traditional village setting, there will be a new primary school, green open space, sports pitches and a sports pavilion.
To assist working parents, there has been a huge rise in the number of au pairs working in the UK, with 12,000 au pairs officially living in the UK — 20 per cent more than three years ago. However it is believed that the real number is in excess of 100,000, according to the British Au Pair Agencies Association (BAPAA). In exchange for assistance with childcare and light household duties, au pairs are treated as part of the family and have their own bedroom and private space.
At Great Oaks, there are a range of house types which are ideal for parents that require an extra bedroom for an au pair or live in nanny. The Wakeford is a four bedroom property with an ideal guest suite with shower room on the second floor, whilst The Langridge is a five bedroom property with two bedrooms on the second floor, one of which would provide perfect accommodation. These rooms would also provide ideal teenager dens when the children have grown up.
As the heart of the home, for many families the kitchen is where everyone spends lots of time, both preparing meals, eating and catching up on the day. With stunning velux windows that allow light to flood the room, the kitchen in The Langridge is open plan to the dining room and includes a breakfast bar where the kids can do their homework, and Mum can keep an eye on her emails on the laptop, whilst dinner is cooking. In The Wakeford, velux windows are situated above the dining area, which also enjoys stunning floor to ceiling doors to the rear garden and makes for a perfect place to enjoy family meals.
The dual aspect extensive living room to The Langridge is a great place for the family to relax and watch a movie, catch up on their favourite TV show or simply enjoy time together.
Providing a perfect place for parents to escape and relax and unwind, the master bedroom suites are spacious in design and include fitted wardrobes and an en-suite shower room. In The Wakeford, there is even a dressing area, where ladies can select their outfit for the day ahead. All properties also feature a spacious family bathroom.
Designed to an excellent specification, all properties at Great Oaks include fully fitted kitchens with gloss finished wall units, contrasting worktops and a range of integrated appliances including oven, microwave, fridge/freezer and dishwasher. The kitchen includes ceramic floor tiling and there is also a washing machine in the downstairs cupboard. The bathrooms include white sanitary ware with chrome fittings, ceramic wall and floor tiling and heated towel rail.
To ensure everyone can use the internet for work, school or download a movie, all properties have fibre optic capability supplied to the main data point, as well as wiring for Sky + and High Definition TV.
Offering a perfect environment for children to explore the great outdoors and parents to unwind after a busy day in the office and enjoy some exercise, there a network of footpaths and cycle ways running throughout the development and across the landscaped green areas and open space.
Wickhurst Green will provide a new village centre with retail, commercial and healthcare facilities, including shops, a proposed doctor’s surgery, a pub and family restaurant. There will also be a new primary school with playing fields, several sports pitches with parking, pavilion and social facilities, alongside two large play areas designed for a range of age groups.
Conveniently located for commuters, Wickhurst Green enjoys great local, UK and international transport links. By road, the A24 provides direct access into London to the north and Worthing to the South. Gatwick is only 17 miles away and Heathrow is under an hour away. There are regular bus routes from Broadbridge Heath into Horsham in just over 5 minutes, where there is a frequent service from Horsham to London Victoria and London Bridge in around 55 minutes.
The Wakeford is currently available from £365,000 or £292,000 through the Government’s Help To Buy scheme whilst The Langridge is available from £499,950 or £399,960 through Help To Buy. The scheme is available to all, not just first time buyers, and means that you’ll only need a 5% deposit to buy a new home. What’s more the Government will provide an equity loan of up to 20% of the purchase price, interest free for the first 5 years, all of which helps to make your monthly mortgage repayments more affordable.
For further sales information, visit great-oaks.co.uk.
