Green with envy

Wed, Nov 22nd 2006, 11:00

With its eco-friendly credentials, the flexibility of three-storey living and some great lifestyle benefits, the Balmoral house design at Stamford Brook is just perfect for one Altrincham couple.

Whether they are entertaining family and friends, relaxing at home together or chilling out in their own personal space, both Nuala and Neil Howard are ecstatic with their new four-bedroom home at the eco-friendly development on former National Trust land.

Recently married, Nuala and Neil are typical of many of today’s professional couples - not yet focused on family life and instead concentrating on their careers and enjoying life to the full. A spacious and versatile property like the Balmoral in one of South Manchester’s most sought-after suburbs is the perfect place to do just this.

Nuala, financial director for Redrow Homes (North West) – the company which built her home - says:  “We absolutely love our new home.  The Balmoral looks fantastic from the outside, with the steps leading to the front door and the Juliet balcony. The inside of the house is just as good, with our living space spread over three floors.”

Inside, the couple have stuck to neutral colour schemes, adding splashes of colour with paintings and accessories, and personalising the space with montages of family photographs.
      
Nuala continues: “Every level of the Balmoral has something to distinguish it. We love the ground floor with its spacious kitchen/breakfast room and separate dining room, which is perfect for entertaining our frequent dinner party guests. 

“Likewise, in summer, we tend to have a lot of barbeques.  Since moving to Stamford Brook, we have found that we are able to have fantastic barbeques because we have direct access from the kitchen to the garden through the French doors.”

However it’s on the first floor of this home, where two of the four bedrooms can be found, that the pair have really discovered the flexibility of three-storey living. Nuala explains: “As all women will know, men will watch any type of sport whether they follow it passionately or not. 

“To solve this problem and to stop it happening in our main lounge, we’ve turned the fourth bedroom into a second TV room, where my husband, Neil, can watch all the sport he likes. Together with Sky TV and a beer fridge, he is now happy watching sport in his little bachelor pad while I can relax in the lounge!”

The top floor of the Balmoral is dominated by two large bedrooms, both of which carry the added advantage of having luxurious en-suite facilities. Nuala and Neil have made one of these rooms their master suite, but other home owners could choose to use either of these rooms for overnight guests or as a separate space for children looking for more privacy.

The Howards use the second en-suite bedroom and also the remaining bedroom on the middle floor as guest accommodation – and the rooms are in regular use with frequent visits from Nuala’s family who live in Ireland.

“With the bedrooms spread out over two floors, it never feels like we have a house full, although, in reality we do,” says Nuala.
 
“We love entertaining guests and having friends to stay.  This is why we never considered living in a city apartment, as many young professional couples do.  Our home suits our lifestyle down to a tee and the space both inside and out is perfect for us.”

Nuala’s sport loving husband, Neil, who works as a surveyor at the Stamford Brook development, knows that the benefits of their new home run deeper than looks and versatility.

Neil says: “We have made our home our own already, but aside from having my own ‘bachelor’ pad, I’m also pleased to be living in a property that is eco-friendly.

“All of the homes at Stamford Brook are designed and constructed to minimise energy use and greenhouse gas emissions and that is something we definitely took into account when making the decision to move here. We’ve even got segregated waste bins to encourage us to recycle our rubbish”

Other eco-friendly initiatives at Stamford Brook include heating and ventilation systems that minimise carbon dioxide release, plus low volume flush toilets and water butts to keep water usage to a minimum.         
Neil continues: “Each property is also placed to make the most of the natural sunlight and the layout of the site as a whole is arranged to avoid overshadowing. Building materials aim to be free from any harmful emissions and are derived whenever possible from renewable sources, so it really is an exciting and innovative place to live.”

A wide selection of properties is currently available at Stamford Brook from a two-bedroom apartment at £161,950 to a large five-bedroom detached at £405,000. The  Balmoral mid-terrace is available from £370,000 or from £380,000 for the end-terrace version.
 
Stamford Brook is a joint venture by Redrow and Bryant Homes, in partnership with the National Trust, and will eventually feature around 710 homes, footpaths and cycle links, new community woodland and a major river restoration project on the former Brookside Farm at Sinderland Road, Broadheath.

The development is close to Altrincham town centre and Sale and is ideally situated for easy access to the M56 and M6. It is within commuting distance of Manchester city centre, with a 10-minute cycle or bus ride to the Manchester Metrolink rail service.

To discover how you can become part of life at Stamford Brook and see what the future holds for new homes, call 0845 676 0360 or visit the Redrow marketing suite from 10am to 5.30pm.

Alternatively visit www.stamfordbrook.co.uk for details of this innovative project.