Publication Date: 29-01-2024 09:00
New home at Cecilly Mills is a life-changer for young family in Cheadle
A couple who moved from a 1960s house into a new three-bedroom detached home at Bellway’s Cecilly Mills development in Cheadle say it’s changed their entire way of life.
Eleanor and Kevin Brammer bought a house in Bellway’s Thespian house style right next to the Cecilly Brook nature reserve. They moved in with their children, eight-year-old Henry and five-year-old Alice, and their four-year-old King Charles spaniel, Lottie.
“It’s changed our entire way of life,” said Eleanor, 35. “It’s changed how we approach our life. It used to seem chaotic in our old house.”
The spacious layout of their new home, which also includes a garage, means that Kevin, 38 – an Ofsted inspector in the social care sector – now has more space for working from home, while Alice now has a bedroom where she has plenty of room to play with her toys.
But it’s not just about the size and layout of the house, it’s also knowing that because it is a new-build property, everything is new, and nothing will have to be renovated or replaced in the next few years.
“Now we have the easiness of not worrying if something is broken or if the boiler is not working or something else needs maintaining or repairing,” said Eleanor.
“For me, it’s knowing that at the weekend we can spend the day doing things as a family rather than maintaining a home. We would rather play with the children in the garden or take a walk in the nature reserve.”
That was one of the reasons they did not go for an older property, although they did consider one. Both having busy work lives – Eleanor is a service manager in children’s social care – they knew they would not have time for carrying out renovations.
They were also keen to have an energy-efficient, well-insulated home and since moving in six months ago, they have not yet had to turn the heating on once.
They had a glimpse of how the property could work for them when they first looked around a finished example of their house style. “We came to view the Thespian and even without any furniture in it, we got the feel for how easy life would be,” Eleanor said.
The couple used Bellway’s Part Exchange scheme to buy their new home. Years before, they had been through the experience of a house purchase falling through at the eleventh hour because their buyer pulled out of the deal. So, this time, they wanted to be certain that would not happen.
“I can honestly say I would recommend it. It was seamless and to have that hassle-free, worry-free process was great,” said Eleanor.
“We had three valuations, and we came to a price, and they were fair, and we accepted that, as you would from any buyer. The difference is that whereas private buyers can do unexpected things, companies don’t.”
That meant that they could look forward to moving in without worrying that it could all fall through because someone had a change of mind.
The couple paid £289,995 for their new house.
Eleanor added: “Everything was seamless and transparent and there were no surprises. And the aftercare was phenomenal. Everyone at Bellway has been supportive and really responsive, and it has been good value for money. I’d highly recommend it. My only regret is not doing it sooner.”
Now the family has settled into their new place, and love living there.
The downstairs layout includes a kitchen/dining room and a separate living room, which was a design that appealed.
“I’m a big fan of having a separate living area where we can relax,” Eleanor said. “My favourite room is the living room. I love the layout and the bay window and the fact I can see out to the brook.”
The kitchen/dining room also works well for the family. She said: “I love the patio doors out to the garden, and you’ve got a lot of workspace and integrated appliances, so it looks sleek, and we have a sizeable dining space.”
The location suits them too as it is near to town and within walking distance of the children’s school. In fact, the children go to the same school that Eleanor attended when she was a child.
And as a long-standing Cheadle resident whose family have lived in the area for generations, she remembers the development area when it was the site of the JCB factory.
“We know this area and what we really liked about the Bellway development was the way the layout is designed. Because they have respected the nature reserve it seems grander and the design of it fits in, so much so that you would be forgiven for thinking it had always been here.”
There’s currently a choice of two, three and four-bedroom houses available to reserve at Cecilly Mills. Prices currently start from £184,995.
For more information, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/west-midlands/cecilly-mills or call the sales team on 01538 331565.
