Contemporary coastal living in Cornwall

If you’ve ever dreamt of recreating those childhood memories of holidays spent rock pooling, beachcombing and enjoying the freshest fish and chips, but with 21st century comforts, then take a look at The Bay, Talland, a select holiday home development of just 42 properties overlooking a beautiful stretch of Cornwall’s south coast.

Offering a tranquil escape from everyday life and the crowds of north Cornwall, The Bay rests above the rocky coves and small, picturesque beaches of Talland Bay, an unspoilt and ‘hidden gem’ between Looe and Polperro. With direct access to the South West Coastal Path, it overlooks the sea in an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’.

Instead of the damp, and basic holiday homes of yesteryear, families can now enjoy all the fun of a traditional British seaside holiday combined with high quality, custom-finished homes and hotel-standard resort facilities including an indoor pool, sauna, gym, tennis court and bar. And, if you do crave a visit to some of Cornwall’s key attractions during your stay, The Bay is situated just an hour or so from The Eden Project, Padstow, Newquay and St. Ives, while scenic spots a short drive away include Fowey, St Michaels Mount and Looe Island. (The Bay itself is only four hours from London).

And because The Bay is a safe, private development, owners will have all the benefits of the on-site facilities combined with stress-free, ‘lock up and leave’ year-round security. A dedicated management company will be on site to co-ordinate everything from the cleaning and maintenance of properties, to arranging on-site letting if required. The hotel-style concierge service will also be on hand to make recommendations and reservations to help owners and guests to make the most of their stay.

The homes: The homes at The Bay have been designed by local architects to blend harmoniously with the landscape with outstanding views directly out to sea, or across open countryside. The finest local materials are being used with exteriors finished in a blend of natural Cornish stone and cedar. Many of the properties will feature decking and built-in barbeques to help owners make the most of the long summer evenings, and feature first floor sitting rooms with coastal views.

With prices starting from only £280,000 ‘off-plan’, two and three bedroom designs, the ‘Courtyard' and ‘Hillside’ are available, ranging from approximately 900 sq ft to 1200 sq ft. Room sizes will be larger than typically found in holiday accommodation. All the homes are permanent constructions, using a combination of modern and traditional building methods/materials from local contractors, and will all benefit from a 10 year NHBC Buildmark warranty.

Interiors: Designed to offer a ‘boutique hotel’ feel using the best of contemporary design, The Bay’s bespoke finishing service allows buyers to select their own finishing touches to their home from tiling and kitchen units to custom layouts. The homes all feature spacious open-plan kitchens, oak flooring, underfloor heating and stylish vaulted ceilings.

An enjoyable investment: As well as offering a property investment you can enjoy with all the family, The Bay makes an appealing long term investment choice. Coastal property remains in strong demand in good locations. And while the south east of Cornwall is just as beautiful as the north, unlike the typically popular Cornish hotspots such as Newquay and Watergate Bay, it has not experienced the large influx of second or large holiday home developments, and currently offers much better value for buyers. All the homes are being sold at ‘off plan’ discounted prices (19 homes are already reserved).

Rental yields have been independently estimated at 7-8%, and a rental guarantee over two years can also be provided; and with the ability for some use by the owner if required, this format offers an attractive ‘lifestyle investment’.

Taxation: No stamp duty is payable on the purchase of the plot or the build cost, and as a ‘self-build’ the properties are deemed VAT free. Purchasers are recommended to seek independent tax advice from a specialist.

Cool for kids: The Bay offers a perfect way to recreate those holiday memories with your own children, allowing them to enjoy hours of exploration, crabbing, picnics and rock pooling on Talland Bay’s secluded sand and shingle beach, while the area is also ideal for snorkelling and diving for Mum and Dad. Then when you return to your holiday home at the end of the day, children will have plenty of large open spaces to roam, play tennis and swim, all in a secure environment.

Eco/conservation: Built on the site of a former caravan park, the development at The Bay recognises the importance of being in keeping with the landscape and has already won awards for its use of natural, local materials, and the skills of local craftsmen. Eco-friendly features will include solar heating for the indoor pool, economical underfloor heating, superb insulation and natural, eco paint finishes throughout.

The development aims to pay great attention to detail, with landscaping and planting in keeping with the landscape character of the area, using only native plant species to provide habitats for the recovery of species like the Cirl Bunting, butterflies and bats. To this end, The Bay is recruiting the advice of local landscape architects and a botanist to ensure that only the right planting is carried out to enhance the development within its natural location.

For more information on The Bay, Talland, visit - thebaytalland.com.

Top Tips – What to look for when buying a contemporary holiday home

1. Choose a developer with a track record. The Bay, Talland was awarded ‘Best Development in Cornwall, 2008’ by the Daily Mail. Talland Homes LLP, the developer, has a strong management team with substantial expertise in building contemporary holiday homes in exceptional locations. Local subcontractors are overseen by an experienced quantity surveyor who has supervised the construction of over 400 homes in the South West.

2. Choose a financially sound company - Talland Homes is well funded by City private equity, who also provide financial management, and importantly post ‘credit crunch’, it has no bank loans or overdraft.

3. Choose a development with a long lease and share of the freehold. The lease term at The Bay is a generous 999 years, and each owner will own a share of the freehold.

4. Visit the location in person - does the location feel open and spacious? How much space will you have around you? What are the different outlooks from around the development?

5. Does your developer offer flexibility? Can you choose those all-important finishing touches to match your taste/specifications? Can you select the type of kitchen, tiling and appliances?

6. Look at the guarantees. Talland Bay’s main contractor is NHBC registered and the homes are covered by the 10 year NHBC warranty.

7. Your kind of people? What is the size and quality of the development and facilities? If you’re aiming to ‘get away from it all’, don’t look at over-developed sites, you won’t find the peace and tranquillity you are aiming for! Will you and your family and friends enjoy coming back time and again?

8. Consider the long term investment potential of the area. Balance the ‘off-plan’ discounted prices with the long term potential. The recent strength of the Euro and Dollar has now made a typical overseas purchase up to 30% more expensive. What is the long term rental potential? Look at the rental guarantees.

9. Review the rental and management service. The last thing you want from your holiday investment is having to sort out letting, cleaning or maintenance issues. See if your developer can offer a comprehensive on-site letting service - can they arrange the key-holding/change-overs, reservations, laundry etc?

10. Payment plan - look at the payment plans and options such as fractional ownership. Explore the transparency of the payment plan and how this balances buyers’ needs with the development’s financial security.