Hospital conversion is just what the doctor ordered

Lisa Desilets loves it when friends ask her the age of her new home in a stunning, converted Victorian hospital.

Because the travel-loving Canadian delights in telling them: "Only slightly younger than my own country!"

Lisa was the very first buyer at Bryant Homes' delightful Ashlar, St Crispin's development in Duston, Northampton – a tasteful conversion of the famous St Crispin's Hospital, which was built in 1876, 10 years after Canada was officially formed.

"Living in a home with so many period features is amazing," says Lisa (37), a district manager with Starbucks.

"The proportions of the living room are incredible and everyone's jaw drops when they see it. The feeling of space and light is just fantastic."

Originally from Calgary, but with a Scottish grandfather from Aberdeen, Lisa loves the UK's rich heritage compared with the relative brief history of her homeland.

She transferred to the UK from Canada and lived and worked in Scotland before deciding to relocate to the Midlands. She then instantly fell in love with the sympathetic restoration of the Victorian hospital at Ashlar, St Crispin's, where she bought a two-bedroom Type K apartment.

"I absolutely love it here," says Lisa, who has been busily making friends with her new neighbours.

"You wonder about noise levels in an apartment but there was a party a couple of apartments above me and I didn't hear a thing. I'm now scared if I fall over no-one will know!"

Lisa had been renting just 500 yards from St Crispin's and kept a close eye on the development before deciding she was going to settle in the area and buy her own home.

She says: "The apartments are gorgeous and Bryant made it so easy to buy and move.

"They paid 5% towards my deposit, contributed to my legal fees and added flooring throughout. I'm just in the process of putting the finishing touches to the soft furnishings.

"All Bryant's staff have been superb – really helpful and easy to deal with – and it's made buying a new home an absolute joy."

One-bedroom apartments are currently available at the sought-after location priced from £99,995, with two-bedroom apartments from £129,995 and three-bedroom homes from £149,995.

Ashlar, St Crispin is a new community occupying an elevated location on the edge of pretty Duston village, set within a conservation area and surrounded by attractive countryside and mature woodland.

Duston is home to a range of amenities for everyday needs, including a range of shops, pubs and places to eat, and schools for children of all ages. Northampton is just three miles away, while the famous shopping centre at Milton Keynes is 20 miles.

The development is also well-connected for travel, with the A45 just a few minutes by road, and the M1 three miles from home. Northampton railway station provides good local services, plus regular trains into London Euston in around 60 minutes.

For more information on the apartments at Ashlar, St Crispin, the Marketing Suite is located off Berrywood Road, Duston, and open Thursday to Monday, 10.30am to 5.30pm.

Alternatively, information on Bryant East Midlands developments across the region is available online at Bryant.co.uk.