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14 November 2003
It is anticipated that more than 50% of homebuyers will be at least 50 years old by 2010, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph. As people get older, however, most will prefer to remain in their own homes. As a result, there is an increasing demand for properties that allow purchasers to continue living independent active lives, while offering the benefits of unique design features that allow the homes to be adapted, should mobility become reduced in the future.
In response to this growing demand, Countryside Properties PLC has created a selection of unique properties at ‘The Courtyard’ that may be adapted to make life as effortless as possible for the homeowner, both now and in the future.
Chris Crook, Managing Director of Countryside Properties, comments, “An increasing number of people over the age of 50 are leading more active lives compared to 20 years ago. With this in mind, we understand that homebuyers do not want to compromise on luxury and space when making the decision to move into a more manageable sized home, but want to maintain the standard of living to which they are accustomed. We have designed the homes at The Courtyard to provide residents with an excellent standard of living, together with a flexible design to allow for adaptations to be made should it become necessary in the future.”
The Courtyard in Maldon, Essex comprises a selection of two bedroom cottages and two bedroom apartments, set within the conservation area in the heart of this historic riverside town. The exteriors of the homes incorporate traditional English architectural designs, and include light buff brickwork and natural slate tiles on the roof.
Countryside Properties has designed the following features to be incorporated into the homes at The Courtyard:
• The stairs in the cottages are all straight flights to allow easy installation of a stair lift.
• Reception room windows are low, to enable good views of the outside whilst seated.
• Walls in bathrooms and cloakrooms are capable of taking adaptations such as handrails.
• External steps have been eliminated on this development as far as is reasonably possible and each property is surrounded by level ground to allow for easy access.
• The cottages have been designed to be suitable for ‘one-level living’:
o There are two ground floor reception rooms, allowing one to be converted into a bedroom while retaining the other as the living room.
o A second BT point and line is provided in the second reception room that offers flexibility to use the room as a study or bedroom to suit the purchaser’s needs.
o A walk-in shower is located on the ground floor.
• There is a part-time manager at the Courtyard with an on-site office, central to the development yet still close to the entrance, to oversee the day to day maintenance of the development.
• The manager can arrange to have the private gardens maintained, either while residents are away on holiday, or if gardening is something that homeowners would rather leave to someone else. For this reason, all gardens can be accessed through boundary gates, which means that providing access through the property is not necessary.
• The homes feature numerous security features:
o Each home is fitted with a burglar alarm system, which also features panic buttons in both the entrance hall and master bedroom.
o Movement sensitive lighting to garage areas.
o There is a video surveillance network in place, with monitors connected to the manager’s office.
Maldon offers an excellent range of shops, pubs and restaurants, and is conveniently situated close to many historic towns and villages. Burnham-on-Crouch and West Mersea have excellent leisure facilities and yacht clubs, and there are a variety of nearby local golf clubs, including The Warren at Woodham Waiter and Five Lakes Golf & Country Club at Tolleshunt Knights.
Maldon is located 10 miles (approximately) from Chelmsford (approximately) and 16 miles from Colchester. Regular train services run locally from Chelmsford station to London Liverpool Street (journey time approximately 40 minutes).
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Information correct as at 14/11/2003