Two firsts for Doris and Arthur at The Locks

The first home-buyers to reserve at Bellway’s stunning new Berkhamsted development, The Locks, were also the first to receive the keys to their new home. Receiving a warm welcome from Bellway sales consultant, Jean Sims, are Doris and Arthur Williams, proudly taking possession of the keys to their new home as they celebrate with champagne and flowers.

There is a tradition in the UK of the majority of house-hunters not moving far from their existing home. Doris and Arthur Williams have taken this to extremes as they previously lived immediately opposite the home they have bought in Stag Lane so they have been able to keep an eagle eye on proceedings as the buildings take shape.

When the scheme launched, there was enormous enthusiasm and interest. Doris Williams (80) and husband Arthur Williams (87) love the area but wanted to move from the first floor apartment where they had spent fourteen years to a new ground floor apartment.

Prices for similar apartments at The Locks start at £249,995 and prices for houses start at £342,995.

Doris Williams has praised Bellway for its method of working, saying: “It is good to see a housebuilder taking such care to be a good neighbour through the construction process.

As the Williams’ discovered when they moved from Manchester fourteen years ago, Berkhamsted has a great atmosphere. It is a quintessentially English country town with a delightful mix of period buildings, lovely restaurants and good shopping. The Locks is close to the Grand Union Canal and will improve what has been wasteland for many years. The site’s position at the end of the High Street makes it popular. Access to major motorways is good and the railway links to London Euston make this a perfect location for commuters.

At The Locks, there is a mix of contemporary apartments bordering the Canal with more traditional houses to the southern section of the site. The housing mix will include 41 x two-bedroom apartments; 7 x two bedroom houses; 22 three-bedroom houses; 26 four-bedroom houses; and 4 five-bedroom houses. All homes have parking spaces with an allocation of two spaces for each house (more for the largest homes) and one parking space for each apartment plus visitor parking spaces and disabled parking bays.

There are still homes available at this development. A sales and marketing suite and show home is open daily from 10am-5pm. The site is expected to be completed by next summer (2009).