The best of both worlds in Chester-le-Street

For Maureen and Norman Powell moving to McCarthy & Stone’s Cestrian Court development in Chester-le-Street has given them the best of both worlds - a vibrant social life as well as the quiet solitude of hill walking in Northumberland.

Companionship was one of the key reasons for the couple’s decision to move from their home in Ouston, on the outskirts of Chester-le-Street, to the retirement development on Newcastle Road, as Maureen explains: “We decided the time was ripe to move into a retirement flat. I don’t want to sound morbid, but if something happened to me then Norman would be alone, and vice versa. We don't have any family, only each other. Here we have company and peace of mind, as well as being close to all local amenities."

Maureen and Norman were also keen to make the most of the beautiful countryside surrounding the development and regularly go for walks.

Maureen, 64, added: “While we enjoy being surrounded by friends we also like to get away from it all. We often take the car and go off to Northumberland for a long walk. At other times it is nice to sit and relax in the lounge. There is a huge jigsaw puzzle here which we are trying to help the others to complete.”

Cestrian Court is a development of private apartments which have been designed for people aged 60 and over. Each apartment is a self-contained home with a front door, entrance hall, living room/dining area, bathroom, fitted kitchen and one or two bedrooms.

Security is a top priority with a 24-hour Careline system installed in each apartment, and throughout the building, and camera security at the main entrance.

A resident house manager keeps an eye on the day-to-day running of the development and oversees the team of maintenance and gardening professionals who take care of the shared facilities. These include a fully-equipped laundry room, a guest suite for friends and family who stay overnight, a landscaped garden, a lift and a residents’ lounge for socialising and relaxation.

Cestrian Court is now over 70% sold. Prices for the remaining apartments at the development start at just £139,950. For further information or to arrange a viewing, visit mccarthyandstone.co.uk.