Safe as houses - Bellway's Dovecote Barnes, Purfleet

Moving into their new home at Bellway’s Dovecote Barns development was almost like going on holiday for Laura Palmer and Jason Powell. All they needed was their suitcases! Laura (21) and Jason (29) snapped up their dream house - the show home complete with fixtures and fittings - at Bellway’s stylish Purfleet development, and moved in at the end of July 2008.

Both work nearby for a security installation firm and have the added bonus of a two minute commute to the office.

“Jason spotted the development as he frequently drove past on the way to work. One day he popped in to see what was available. We were disappointed to find that the show home had been reserved but on our second visit, just a few days later we discovered that the buyer had been forced to pull out. We were thrilled and put in offer an straight away, for the home and its contents!”

“The whole process was pretty quick and painless as we had nothing to sell. The team onsite were brilliant from sales through to aftercare and the house really is wonderful. The colour scheme is light and bright, I would never have considered using such bold colours but it really works well.”

My favourite part of the house as to be our bedroom: it really is gorgeous - a boudoir, some might say! But I have to say that I’m most pleased with the garden. As soon as you walk into the house you can see the back garden through the huge doors; it really is lovely.”

Bellway Thames Gateway North Sales Manager, Peter Knights, said:

“This home has been used as a show house for prospective buyers, and as such it is every bit as tasteful and high specification as people would expect of a home. It has been dressed by local interior designers and offers tasteful décor, a beautiful garden and a house full of stylish and functional furniture so it really is ‘ready to live in’.

The development, on London Road, Purfleet, has just five properties left for sale with prices starting at £199,950.

Apart from the unique attributes of this unusual location, Purfleet itself is an attractive place to live, combining as it does a setting that is leafy and close eighteen miles of River Thames frontage yet with proximity to the City. For families, there is local shopping and a primary school and the homes are only two miles from the buzz of one of Europe’s largest shopping and leisure malls – Lakeside Thurrock. The area is also a haven for wildlife as it is surrounded by green open spaces that encompass an array of habitats from woodland to marshland. There are also lakes that offer water-sports opportunities.

Communications links are good with the M25 providing easy access to Essex and, south of the Thames, to north Kent. Rail links to London are quick and Fenchurch Street is just a 30 minute train ride whilst City Airport is only 12 miles away.

The sales centre is open daily from 10am-5pm. For details, log on to Bellway.co.uk.