Couple enjoying life in new home after using £20k incentive to move into peaceful cul-de-sac

A couple are enjoying a quieter life after upsizing from a house near a busy main road to a new home in a peaceful cul-de-sac. Paul Hutchinson and Sarah Mangan used a £20,000 incentive from Bellway to help them buy a three-bedroom Spinner home.

The house is located at the housebuilder’s Gateford Quarter development in Worksop. Paul, a 45-year-old lorry driver, and Sarah, a 34-year-old skilled operator, were living at Paul’s two-bedroom 1930s house in Worksop when they decided to make the commitment to buy a home together.

Paul said: "My old house was always in need of some kind of renovation work and we thought it would be a good idea to buy a new home on a joint mortgage. So, we went online and spotted that Bellway was building new homes just a mile away at Gateford Quarter, which was perfect as we wanted to stay in the town to be near to our work and our friends.

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"We decided we wanted a new-build house as they are very energy-efficient and would be cheaper to heat than the draughty old house – and there would be no more DIY headaches or repair bills."

The couple "fell in love" with the house as soon as they stepped in. Sarah said: "We were blown away by the lovely open-plan layout downstairs which flows from the front to the back of the house and has a large living/kitchen/dining area.

"The space was so light and airy and had lovely walk-in bay window with French doors to the back garden. We spoke to the sales advisor and she told us there was a plot tucked away in a peaceful little cul-de-sac which would mean hardly any traffic coming past.

"Finding somewhere quieter than Paul’s house was high on the list and this really ticked that particular box." The couple was also "delighted" to hear about the £20,000 incentive.

Half of that was used to pay for flooring throughout the house, to have the back garden turfed and to have top-quality kitchen appliances fitted. The other £10,000 was used as a deposit contribution to help bring the couple's mortgage payments down, describing their housebuying journey as "smooth and stress-free".

Paul and Sarah and their two-year-old Cockapoo Toby moved into their new home in April 2024. Sarah said: "We absolutely love our new home.

"Our favourite room is our bedroom which takes over the whole of the top floor. It is like living in the lap of luxury at a five-star hotel as we have an en suite and a walk-in wardrobe.

"Living on three storeys is brilliant because on the floor below us there are two double bedrooms, one of which is en suite and one of which has a door through to the family bathroom. It is a perfect set-up for when people stay over as it gives everyone privacy.

"The fabulous open-plan design on the ground floor really suits our lifestyle too because when we have friends and family around there’s so much space to expand into. We have had visitors here and they are all wowed by our shiny new home."

The location works for the couple as well, with Sarah’s 20-minute drive to work remaining the same while Paul’s bike ride commute has been halved to 10 minutes. Sarah also explained that Toby can now have "a real run out" in the fields and woodlands in the proximity of the house.

This comes as the couple previously had to drive out to a location where Toby could enjoy his walks. The house is also close to the couple's favourite pub, The Romans Rest, which used to be a car journey away.

Sarah said: "This means that in the summer months we can stroll down there on an evening with Toby for a quiet drink and a lovely meal, then walk some of it off on the way home." There is currently a choice of three and four-bedroom new homes available to reserve at Gateford Quarter, with prices starting at £272,950 and £333,500 respectively.