From City to Country: Space and sustainability are a winning combination at Hollymead Square
Chloe and Ryan found their ideal home at Hollymead Square after choosing to swap city-centre living for more space, value and a quieter, greener lifestyle.
A move motivated by space, value and sustainability
When Chloe Houston and her partner Ryan Cotton, decided to take the next big step in their relationship and buy a home together, Hollymead Square in Newport, Essex, immediately captured their attention. The beautifully designed, spacious homes, prime location, and strong sustainability credentials from award-winning UK housebuilder The Hill Group offered the perfect blend of comfort and conscience.
From city centre compromises to countryside calm
Chloe says: “We initially viewed several older properties in central Cambridge, but we felt they did not represent good value for money. Expanding our search slightly south of the city revealed properties providing more space and a noticeably healthier environment. This ultimately led us to choose a quieter, more balanced lifestyle on the edge of a village, surrounded by fresh air and open space.
“Plus, the idea of buying a new build, and avoiding the time and cost of renovations, appealed to both of us. The home had also been built with such care and attention, which allowed it to really stand out from the other properties we viewed in the city.”
A home built for modern living and entertaining
The couple, who moved into their stylish, detached four-bedroom home in early March, are delighting in the spacious and flexible layout of their property, as well as the development’s lovely greenery. Hollymead Square has been designed to integrate landscape-led open spaces with pedestrian friendly streets, supporting both community cohesion and a thriving natural environment.
Ryan comments: “I love the design of our house. The modern aesthetic is perfect for integrating the large windows, making the home bright and welcoming. We have this beautiful greenspace right in front of our home, so it all feels very natural and serene.
Connected rural living with easy commutes
Hollymead Square’s location, just a five-minute walk from Newport station, is ideal for Chloe’s partner Ryan. He benefits from quick and easy travel to both the Cambridge and London offices. Chloe, who drives to work, benefits from easy access to the M11 for travel across the region.
Ryan says: “We love the buzz of Cambridge, so we really wanted to find our home together in the heart of the city – but once we saw what was on offer just a 30-minute drive away, we couldn’t ignore the possibilities available to us. Our commutes were also still so easy from Newport.”
Chloe and Ryan - Hollymead Square train station
A buying experience that stood out for all the right reasons
Furthermore, Chloe was delighted with Hill’s customer-centric buying process. Having previously purchased a new build home from another developer, she immediately noticed the significant difference in quality and service.
Chloe explains: “Several years back, I bought a new build home from a different developer. I was very excited to step onto the property ladder, but so much about the home felt unfinished – the back garden wasn’t turfed, the standard of the property wasn’t great, and the customer care was minimal. Buying with Hill has been a totally different experience, and not just because I work for the company. Their attitude and approach made the entire buying process so smooth. Our home is amazing and the customer care throughout the buying and moving-in process has been so attentive. I’m so happy we chose to buy at Hollymead Square – we feel like we’ve won on every level with our new house here.”
“We’ve got an amazing, open-plan kitchen and dining area, which is a sociable, light-filled space that benefits from a south-facing position. We have so much space to host and entertain now, and we also just love our garden, which is an ideal spot to enjoy in the sunshine with all our friends. That was a big selling point for us, as we never really had room to do that before.”
Green spaces, community and biodiversity at the heart of the development
The majority of the high-quality homes at hollymead square are detached, with a range of house types comprising charming two-bedroom bungalows and contemporary two- to five-bedroom houses. What’s more, they are so energy efficient that buyers benefit from zero energy bills for their first five years of ownership.
