It’s a big step to leave your home of 36 years but for retired couple Wanda and John Scott the decision to leave London for their beautiful new apartment at Boxgrove Gardens in Guildford was surprisingly simple.
“We just fell in love with it right away,” explained Wanda. “We’re really looking forward to moving in. It’s hectic in London and Guildford is a lovely place. It’s not too far out but it’s like living in the countryside.”
Wanda (66), a semi-retired tea broker, and John (79) currently live in Kensington, near the famous Queens Club tennis ground. They have been there since 1977 after meeting in Indonesia and marrying.
They started searching for a new base earlier this year because there is no lift to their fourth floor apartment. To make their money stretch further they looked beyond the capital – which is when they discovered Boxgrove Gardens by Linden Homes.
The stylish development has quickly become one of Guildford’s most desirable new neighbourhoods, with airy roof conversions, timber detailing, spacious balconies, and floor-to-ceiling windows surrounded by lush, green, modern gardens.
As well as the superb one and two-bedroom apartments, it boasts three, four and five-bedroom signature houses, all designed by award-winning architects John Thompson & Partners.
Wanda and John’s new home is in Uplands House, a historic former country manor refurbished into stunning apartments overlooking the beautifully landscaped gardens that make up the neighbourhood’s showpiece feature.
“We were only looking for a few months,” said Wanda. “In fact we were looking at houses originally because we had been living in an apartment for so long. But we thought, ‘Who’s going to do the gardening?’
“It’s an apartment just one floor up and it’s similar to ours now but it’s more modern and with open space and it’s light and airy. The area is also nice and clean. We’re looking forward to moving in – but not the packing!
“It will be a big change, but we like Guildford. My office is in Wandsworth so it’s easily reachable from Guildford. It takes about 40 minutes to drive in my car.”
The development has a family feel and is conveniently close to the city centre. The town boasts a mainline station as little as 40 minutes journey from London Waterloo, handy road links and proximity to the major international airports of Heathrow and Gatwick.
Linden Homes offers a variety of ways to make moving easier, including the government-backed Help to Buy scheme which can help people with a deposit as small as five per cent, whether they are first-time buyers or moving up the property ladder.
Alternatively the Part Exchange scheme allows eligible home-owners to choose from a selected range of homes and within seven days a valuation on their property will be made by three local estate agents, followed by a cash offer.
And for those who want a home with a touch of their own personality ready for when they move in, the Enhance service offers a face-to-face consultation to help design rooms and choose upgrades.
To find out more visit or call the sales centre on 0844 488 3452, open daily from 10am-5pm.
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For further information, contact Sam Nickerson or Claire McCowan at Remarkable Public Relations on 01962 893 893.
