Out of the blue - Ready-made dream homes

Do you ever find yourself imagining life in the surrounding offered by a stunning show-home or flicking through a magazine and drooling at the perfection of the room-styling? And of course you probably dream for a few moments then tell yourself it’s all very well as a dream home, but it’s not for real.

Now, reality and the dream coincide. Housebuilder Bellway has launched an instant home scheme called UChoose at its stylish Old Tannery development in Canterbury.

Out of the blue, they’ve created a blue, grey and white furniture and accessories package so that, if you choose to opt for UChoose, you can move into a ready-styled home and just bring your clothes and your toothbrush, because everything else is there. Even the walls are painted blue to coordinate.

With the UChoose scheme, you get everything from curtains to cushions; sofas to side-lamps; and canvases to coffee-tables. It’s all there and, apart from the ease, there’s a huge cost-advantage too. Each Uchoose package is priced individually – depending on the size of your home and which sections of the package you select. For example you can simply pick the lounge or a bedroom – or have the whole place decorated and styled.

Two bedroom apartments at the Old Tannery are priced from £185,000 and buyers who select UChoose for all areas could expect to pay around £9,000 on top of the asking price. Lyn Neale, Bellway Thames Gateway South Sales Director, says: “UChoose is perfect for those buying their first home, for investors, students or people who simply want to bid farewell to the old furniture and enjoy a brand new, gorgeous-looking coordinated finish. Just think how long it would take to shop for all these individual items and how much it would cost to buy at retail prices”.

Located within the city walls in a conservation area, the development of 453 new homes is an exciting new residential quarter for the city, centred around a public piazza lined with shops, restaurants and live work units.

Bellway’s design allowed for the retention of 18 of the historic former tannery buildings, some of which are Grade II listed, to save as much of the character and industrial heritage of the site as possible.

Combining brick block roads, traditional style street lighting and wood framed sash windows on many homes, The Old Tannery is a seamless and integrated part of the future development of the heart of Canterbury. The architecture provides a modern interpretation of well-known and well-loved styles. Designs provide the essential feeling of comfort and homeliness and yet bring a modern approach with light, airy interiors which reflect the style that we expect from new homes in the 21st Century.

By using traditional Canterbury building materials of brick, tile hanging, render and timber boarding the external appearance of the development has been enhanced as has the varied city roofscape for which Canterbury is famous.

This is one of the most exciting residential schemes in Kent as it is situated within Canterbury’s historic city walls and just a short walk from the Cathedral, railway stations and Canterbury town centre.

The development centres on a public piazza - Tannery Square – which will feature a riverside wine bar/restaurant, four retail/commercial shop units and three live/work units. A series of streets and lanes accommodating the new residential buildings will radiate from the piazza.

In recognition of the industrial character of the site, some 18 historic buildings have been retained for conversion, with the former warehouse building and drying shed to be converted into a 61-bedroom hotel. A riverside walk will be built to link the scheme to Greyfriars Gardens and the town centre, giving people access to an area of the city that has remained in private hands for over 150 years.

The marketing suite and show flat are open daily from 10am – 5pm, or prospective purchasers can log on to Bellway.co.uk for more information.