Terraces are ‘best homes for families’

Thu, Nov 16th 2006, 11:00

Now that the need for apartments is largely being met – house builders are being told to think of ‘the need of families’.

The Government has asked that house builders return to building the ‘traditional, family terraced home’, after fears that a drought in house building is clogging up the market and preventing people from moving.

Speaking at a conference on regeneration and renewal, housing minister Yvette Cooper said: “Local authorities will have to think specifically about the need for family housing as part of the planning process to make sure that they’ve got a mix of different kinds of housing.   It’s about the revival of the town house, the revival of the terraced house.”

Ms. Cooper said that in future a greater number of the 170,000 new homes built every year must be suitable for families.

In the South West of England, award winning house builder Redrow is already satisfying this need on a number of fronts; offering a variety of terraced homes and town houses that are sure to appeal to any family – large or small.

Lorraine Kendrick, sales director for Redrow Homes (South West) says: “Whilst Redrow is still building apartments in appropriate locations, which are perfect for first-time buyers or down-sizers, we also understand that it is vitally important to address the needs of other home-buyers, particularly families.”
         
Over half of Redrow’s developments in the South West have some form of traditional family housing, whether it is a three-storey, four-bedroom Neale house type at the Rushmead Park development in Trowbridge or a three-story, three-bedroom Lambourne at Forest Rise in Nailsworth.

Lorraine continues: “Our traditional family homes are very popular with home buyers due to the choice of great developments, flexible accommodation styles and wide-range of incentives.  The Teign house type which is available at the sought-after Abbey Manor in Priory Vale, Swindon, for example, is perfect for those who enjoy flexible living over three floors and home-buyers can now see for themselves and we have just opened the Teign show home at Abbey Manor!”

The ground-floor in the Teign features an open plan family/dining room, kitchen and a cloakroom. The lounge is located on the first floor along with the master bedroom, which boasts an en-suite shower room and fitted wardrobes, and another cloakroom/wc. The remaining three bedrooms and a family bathroom can be found on the second floor.
         
Lorraine adds: “The beauty of three-storey living is its versatility. Customers get more home for their money by going up instead of out and they can be flexible about how they use that extra space, making it perfect for buyers across the spectrum.

“The Teign for example is an ideal family home. Mum and dad can enjoy the master bedroom and en-suite shower room on the first floor, while the three bedrooms and bathroom above could be the children’s domain. For couples without children the upstairs can be kept as guest accommodation or spare rooms could be used as a home office, workout area or dressing room. There’s plenty of scope.”

The popularity of townhouses has also been confirmed by new homes property portal smartnewhomes.com, which says they are proving increasingly popular with new home buyers - attracting young families who have ditched detached properties for a trendier, more affordable new style of home. 

According to smartnewhomes.com, with the average price of a new detached home recorded as £307,875 in September, young families are turning to more affordable townhouses that offer a similar amount of internal space but can cost up to 20% less than the price of a detached home of similar size.

Townhouses have experienced the biggest growth over the last year and now make up 10% of the new homes mix, up 3% since the same time last year.

Bristol-based Redrow Homes (South West) is currently building in Swindon, Chippenham, Trowbridge and Westbury, in Wiltshire, at Gloucester and Nailsworth, in Gloucestershire, and Weston-super-mare, Somerset. 

As well as family housing, the company has a selection of desirable apartments, including refurbished properties with oodles of period character at Collingwood Crescent , in Gloucester, and Knightstone Island, Weston-super-mare.

Prices for a three-bedroom terrace home start from just £214,995 depending on the location.  See individual developments for more details including a range of incentives. Call 0845 676 0500 for details.