Couple enjoy penthouse lifestyle at marina development

Trevor and Jan Lee have recently moved from a contemporary four-bedroom family house in Cheltenham to a stunning two-bedroom luxury penthouse at Royal Clarence Marina the award-winning waterside development by Berkeley Homes in Gosport, and are thrilled with their new lifestyle.

Trevor, 58, a self-employed business coach, comments: "Downsizing is a big change, but it's worked out amazingly well for us and we're delighted with our new home," Jan, 56, who has worked as a designer, adds: "It's such a fabulous place. Our penthouse has plenty of space and two terraces, one which overlooks Portsmouth Harbour and another with an outlook to Cooperage Green and the south. The views are simply spectacular."

Royal Clarence Marina dates back to the 19th century when it was built as a victualling yard to supply the Royal Navy with food and drink. Berkeley Homes has sensitively converted some of the magnificent original buildings into new homes and has added other new buildings that blend beautifully with the historic architecture. Trevor comments: "The mix of old and new buildings and the wonderful atmosphere really appealed to us. As one of our family said, ‘you can almost smell the history'." Royal Clarence Marina is also renowned as one of the finest deep-sea marinas on the south coast and acts as a magnet for the yachting fraternity, adding to the very special atmosphere.

Trevor and Jan both grew up in Portsmouth and when they decided it was time to downsize, after their two children had left home, the sea beckoned and their first choice was to move back to the south coast. They spotted an advertisement for Royal Clarence Marina in a Sunday supplement and after having researched the market, they viewed the development and knew instantly that this was where they wanted to live.

Jan once worked for a subsidiary company of Berkeley Homes and was very pleased with the high standard of service they received. She says: "I wondered what it would be like to experience the service from the other side and it was excellent. Everyone at Berkeley Homes was very supportive, without being pushy, and extremely helpful in dealing with all our questions."

In a matter of months, the Lees had sold their family home and moved into their elegant penthouse. Their spacious open plan living/dining/kitchen area is filled with light from the full-length windows and opens onto a private terrace, where they can sit outside in summer and enjoy panoramic views over the harbour. From the second bedroom, another terrace overlooks the open spaces of Cooperage Green and Flagstaff Green and both bathrooms are well appointed with stylish fittings. The couple have already adapted the penthouse to their own needs and converted the second bedroom into a home office.

Moving from a house to an apartment can pose problems with storage, but this has not been an issue for them. "The space lends itself to contemporary storage solutions, so we have plenty of room for our possessions," adds Jan.

Royal Clarence Marina benefits from a very peaceful position, but it is also very close to everything that Trevor and Jan need for a comfortable lifestyle. Gunwharf Quays, with its fantastic selection of shops, waterside bars, restaurants and entertainment, is minutes away by water taxi on the other side of the marina. Shops and restaurants are also planned for Royal Clarence Marina.

The private water taxi service, exclusively for residents, enables travel across the water to Gunwharf Quays and to Portsmouth Harbour Railway station and the continental ferry ports. "We occasionally need to go to London, for both business and pleasure, so we just hop on a water taxi and we can be on a train to Waterloo in about 15 minutes. Then it's only about 90 minutes into London," says Trevor.

Road links are equally good with the M27 from Portsmouth connecting to the A3 and M3, as well as Southampton's airport and ferry terminals. "We find getting around very easy. We go shopping in Southampton, which is very close, and if we want to fly abroad it's only a short drive to the airport," says Jan.

Prices at Flagstaff House start from £225,000 for a two-bedroom apartment and £315,000 for a two-bedroom penthouse apartment. For more information, log on to Royal-clarence-marina.co.uk.