New homes in a great Colchester location
Beautifully designed to blend in with their surroundings, the five new homes at Abbey Garden Terrace offer a sophisticated lifestyle.
The Georgian-style houses sit beautifully within their historic surroundings and yet also offer light, spacious interiors, explained Jonathan Frank, director of Lexden Restoration and Development.
Set within the appealing surroundings of the former Colchester Garrison, the properties are just a few minutes’ walk of the town centre, with its shops, restaurants and lively café culture. Yet, with their far-reaching views and leafy outlook, they also offer a sense of serenity.
“This was such an amazing location that we felt it was important to build homes that were special and fitted in with the beautiful backdrop,” said Jonathan. “We wanted houses that looked really quite grand and the elegant, Georgian-style terrace seemed to work perfectly.
“Abbey Garden Terrace is close to Abbey House, which was originally where the commanding officer would have lived, and is itself very beautiful. The houses in the terrace not only look out over its walled garden but also take in the view towards historic, Grade I Listed St John’s Gate.”
The idea, he continued, was to design four bedroom properties that were low maintenance without compromising on style or space.
“I am a great believer in creating homes with good space but at the same time more and more people want homes they can lock up and leave,” he explained. “As you enter these homes you come into a very wide hall and then find the very generous kitchen breakfast room going off to the right. There is a cloakroom under the stairs and then at the back is a large drawing room.
“Here there are glazed doors and you can imagine how wonderful it would be to have these pulled right back on to the courtyard garden in the summer.”
The airy design continues up on the first floor, where there is a generous landing and then two bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom.
The master bedroom, at the front of the house, also has a dressing room, which has been fully fitted out.
“We have spent a lot of time and effort getting the detailing right in these houses,” he suggested. “Everything is bespoke and finished to a high quality, from the handmade plaster coving on the high ceilings of the ground and first floors to the skirting boards, architraves and sash windows. We also have Nu-Heat under-floor heating and LED lighting throughout and bathrooms fittings from the likes of Grohe, Vitra, Kaldewei, Simpsons and Crosswater.”
A landing on the second floor features an electrically controlled skylight, which brings natural light flooding down into the house. Here there are also two more bedrooms and a family bathroom.
“Again, these are both good sizes – the one at the back is a particularly interesting space, with a sloping ceiling, skylight windows and lots of light.”
Kitchens at Abbey Garden Terrace have been fully fitted with integrated Siemens appliances, including five-burner gas hobs, an extractor fan, double oven, fridge-freezer, dishwasher and washer drier.
They all have television and satellite systems, along with CAT5 cabling. There is gated access to the properties with an intercom security system, which allows remote access via mobile phone technology.
The houses, which have been designed with concrete floors and all have parking, offer a very particular and almost unique lifestyle, Jonathan added. They are also just a stone’s throw from the Colchester Officers’ Club, with its tennis and squash courts.
“These are homes that are incredibly quiet yet are just a short walk from the town centre and Colchester North train station,” he said.
“They are places where the owners could enjoy a game of tennis before work at the club or an evening drink in town before strolling home to relax, enjoy the views and make the most of some beautiful living spaces.”
Prices at Abbey Garden Terrace range between £500,000 and £600,000.
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