Pioneers settle in at new village near Norwich

Kelvin and Rosalind Garrard are amongst the first to move in at a brand new village in Costessey, Norwich. With their purchase of a striking three bedroom townhouse at Barratt’s Ringland Park, part of the Queen’s Hills development, Kelvin, who works in sales, says: “We were married last year in Cyprus and then moved into our new home in December. We consider ourselves to be pioneers in this new village and already we love living here. It is interesting to see the development take shape and we are looking forward to the opening of the pub and shops that will be built here.”

Around 1300 homes are being built by developers at Queen’s Hills, with the new village transforming the former gravel quarry located in Costessey Park; ancient manor parklands dating from the 11th century that include Costessey Park Golf Club. The scheme includes a ‘Home Zone’* which provides a safer living environment for young families by changing the balance of the street, making the pedestrian and cyclist the equal of a car.

The Queen’s Hills development will also deliver 86 acres of country park, a new school, a local village centre, a community hall, a children’s play park, a recreational area, football pitches and retail outlets.

Barratt is building 165 homes at Ringland Park; a mixture of one, two, three, four and five bedroom houses and 2 bedroom apartments. Landscaping, planting, seating and integrated play areas will ensure a perfect setting, adjacent to woodland and near to Costessey’s vibrant village community.

Kelvin adds: “We used to live with my parents but having our own home has provided us with independence and plenty of space. Our family and friends have visited us here and all of them think it’s great! The location is ideal, being just 10 minutes from my work. Rosalind, who is a conveyancing executive, takes the bus to work – there is a bus stop here on the development – and can be at her desk within around 25 minutes. We’ve also got a Sainsbury’s just 450 yards from our home, which is very convenient.”

The development has a superb location, with the pleasures of open countryside and the Norfolk Broads within 25 miles, while also offering easy access to Norwich’s city centre, which is around five miles away. Trains from Norwich run to destinations all over East Anglia, with Ipswich around 40 minutes away and the journey time to London Liverpool Street approximately two hours.

Kelvin says: “We feel very safe and secure here and look forward to the community developing as more people move in. The Barratt sales negotiators were extremely helpful and the whole purchasing process went very smoothly. I would definitely recommend Barratt Homes to other buyers.”

Prices for homes currently available at Ringland Park at Queen’s Hills range from £146,500 for two bedroom apartments, from £195,000 for three bedroom houses and from £258,000 for four bedroom houses.

First time buyer incentives are available.** The sales suite and showhomes are open seven days a week from 10am to 6pm, or visit Barratthomes.co.uk for more information.

*For further information on the Home Zone concept, visit Homezones.org.

**All incentives subject to Barratt’s terms and conditions. Please ask Barratt for further details.