Mr and Mrs Johnson love sense of community in their new home in Oxfordshire
Entrepreneurial couple Rob and Hilal Johnson have reaped the rewards of a seven-year DIY project refurbishing their large five-bedroom farmhouse and then selling it as the property market curved upward, reinvesting the released capital into their financial services business and buying a luxury, detached Dorchester Living new home in Oxfordshire at Heyford Park.
Disappointed with the lack of interesting new development in Oxfordshire, classic car enthusiast Rob became disheartened with the number of dense and run-of-the-mill properties, until he saw the pretty streetscape taking shape on Camp Road, in Upper Heyford, Bicester.
Rob comments: “There is such a demand for new homes in Oxfordshire that more and more new-build developments are springing up all around the county. Unlike some new homes we’ve seen, Heyford Park has maintained its small community feel and affordability, without compromising on the quality of build or the history of the site. Our home is has been built across the road from Heyford Park Free School, so it will be right at the heart of the community when the row of homes completes.”
“Having lived in Oxfordshire for many years, I remember the site as an operational airbase and find its military history intriguing. Dorchester Living has sympathetically converted parts of the base; refurbishing some older buildings, preserving mature trees, using local suppliers and encouraging integration between the residential and business community at Heyford Park,” continues Rob, “we even used a local removals company when we moved in!”
Four-bedroom, detached new home in Oxfordshire
The Johnsons’ 1,200 sq. ft. home is a four-bedroom, detached property, split over two floors. The design boasts an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area, which leads directly into a sizeable, private garden – perfect for the family pet, a 17-year-old retired police dog called Willis.
“We were very impressed with the solid level of build and the nice design, especially for the price, which is very good value. Many new housing developments lack character and the build quality can be questionable, especially when they are built so quickly. Added to that is the lack of open space between properties and views beyond the driveway. We are lucky enough to be in an established, countryside setting, with plenty of outdoor space to explore when we walk Willis.”
“My office is only a 10-minute drive from home and there is a bus stop directly outside for my wife to get to the shops in nearby Bicester. Although we have moved into a new home, the existing, close-knit community means that we already feel part of something – a rarity for new-build developments!”
