Countryside Properties : COUPLE QUIT CAPITAL FOR NEW LIFE IN CAMBRIDGE

05/09/2017

The number of people leaving the capital has risen by 80 per cent in the past five years, according to new figures published by the ONS. Sales manager Greg Wingham (35), and his wife Ewelina (30), are among the many thirty-somethings who have recently chosen to move away from London, trading their home in Islington for a new life in Cambridge.

The number of people leaving the capital has risen by 80 per cent in the past five years, according to new figures published by the ONS.[1] Sales manager Greg Wingham (35), and his wife Ewelina (30), are among the many thirty-somethings who have recently chosen to move away from London, trading their home in Islington for a new life in Cambridge. The couple first purchased a home at Countryside's Abode in Great Kneighton three years ago, and have just upsized into a new five-bedroom Windham house design at the same development.

Explaining their decision to relocate to Cambridge, Greg says: 'I grew up in Cambridge, and when we decided to leave London we were partly drawn here by the excellent schools. The first home we bought in Cambridge was also at Abode, as it's just down the road from my old school, The Perse School. We've been married for just over a year, so we're thinking about starting a family, and I would love for my kids to go there too.'

'We're really glad we made the move to Cambridge, as we have got so much more house for our money than we would have in London, and the lifestyle here is great. It's really peaceful, and there's a lot more green open space. Cambridge is a beautiful city that has evolved a lot since I last lived here. It now has a really buzzing atmosphere and there's loads to do when family and friends come to visit. There's some great shops and restaurants, and we also love how intellectual it is.'

Abode is a collection of contemporary four and five-bedroom houses which forms part of Great Kneighton, an exciting new community being created on the southern fringe of Cambridge. Great Kneighton offers a range of amenities, abundant green spaces, including a 120-acre park, and excellent transport links that provide a quick and easy commute to Cambridge train station, and into the city centre.

Greg comments: 'The location of Abode is absolutely perfect for us. It's really quick to get into Cambridge city centre, either on the guided bus or by bike, but it's just as easy to get out of Cambridge too. I drive to work in Saffron Walden, Essex, and my wife travels around a lot for her work as a sales executive, so having good road links nearby is really important to us. We're also just a couple of minutes from Cambridge train station on the guided bus, which is brilliant as we still have lots of friends in London and can be there in under an hour.'

He continues: 'We were really settled in our previous house at Abode and weren't planning to move at all, but cycling back from the gym one night we popped into the new Windham show home and loved it. We went in to see the sales team and after speaking with them, decided to use the Part Exchange scheme, which was excellent. Countryside gave us a really good price for our house, and it took away all the hassle of dealing with estate agents. The process was really simple, and only took around two and a half months altogether.'

The Windham is an impressive five-bedroom home, with a unique central courtyard and five outdoor terraces. The ground floor is home to a spacious open plan kitchen/living and dining area, which wraps around the fully integrated courtyard. The courtyard, along with full height windows, French doors and vaulted ceilings ensure the home is flooded with natural light.

On the second floor is a separate living room, with access to a terrace overlooking the courtyard, and three of the bedrooms including the master suite, which incorporates a large dressing area. The top floor features another pair of double bedrooms, both of which benefit from their own private terrace. All of the five bedrooms also have a luxurious en suite bathroom with stylish white sanitary ware and chrome accessories.

Greg says: 'We moved into our new home in July, and couldn't be happier. The house feels really grand as soon as you walk in, with the wide entrance hall and incredible high ceilings, and we really like the open-plan layout downstairs. The courtyard is so unusual, it's one of our favourite places in the whole house. We've got some palm trees out there, and have just had a jacuzzi installed, so it's a fantastic space for relaxing together, or spending time in when we have friends and family round. With the house being such a good size, we're not intending to leave any time soon, as we definitely have plenty of space to grow into!'

Prices at Abode currently start from £1,150,000 for a four-bedroom house, and from £1,250,000 for a five-bedroom house. The show home and marketing suite are open seven days a week, between 10am and 5pm. For more information on Abode visit www.abodecambridge.co.uk or call 01223 846 650.

[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/bulletins/annualmidyearpopulationestimates/mid2016#moves-between-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales-similar-to-last-year