Village of the Year prepares to welcome new residents

As pretty as a Christmas card scene in winter, the ancient village of Audlem is welcoming newcomers to its fold, writes Tamzin Hindmarch.

A UDLEM is one of the those picturesque villages which has not lost its charm, thanks to the many old buildings which are still standing and give it its unique character.

It was with this in mind that a resident of Cheshire's Village of the Year 2005, developer Mark Ellis of Markden Homes, set about designing the attractive properties his company has now built beside Heathfield Road with funding from CALA Finance.

On one side, his vision was for The Village Green, a site which includes eight homes ranging from a three-bedroom mews property priced at £175,000 to five-bedroom detached houses starting at £495,000.

Opposite this is Little Heath Barns, with four two, three and four-bedroom mews properties, where prices begin at £275,000.

"I've lived in Audlem for five years," says Mark, pictured right, who has 25 years' experience designing and building houses.

"Markden Homes is very much a family business in that my son Will is my contracts manager and my wife is the interior designer and accountant." Of the three three-bedroom mews homes in The Village Green, two have already sold but a third is still available for £175,000.

It has a large lounge and a kitchen diner with French doors which open out on to a terrace, then a large corner plot which includes protected trees and is south-facing.

It also has parking spaces and a landscaped garden at the front of the property.

Other features include the fitted kitchen with integrated appliances and granite worktops, the tiled en suite and family bathroom, fitted wardrobes in the two double bedrooms, a single bedroom, a utility room and a downstairs loo.

The five-bedroom properties each have a double garage with electric double doors, en suites to two of the bedrooms, of which all are double in size, a large dining room and a large fitted and integrated kitchen, again with granite work surfaces, as well as a study and utility room and a lounge with a fireplace.

As with all the properties, Mark says: "They have been designed with energy efficiency in mind for high savings on bills and also all exceed building regulation requirements."

Little Heath Barns comprises one four-bedroom property, priced £430,000, two three-bedroom properties, priced £375,000 and £355,000, and one two-bedroom property, priced £275,000.

Mark says the two-bedroom property's selling points include two double bedrooms, a lounge with an inglenook fireplace, a downstairs cloakroom, a large, fitted, integrated kitchen, landscaped gardens at the front and back and views of the Peckforton Hills.

The three-bedroom properties feature three double bedrooms with fitted wardrobes, lounges with inglenook fireplaces, a fitted, integrated kitchen and two bathrooms, the larger one also featuring a utility room. The four-bedroom's impressive spec also includes a dining room as well as a study and cloakroom and four double bedrooms.

Outside are brick-built carports as well as storage space for garden equipment.

Mark says he immediately saw the potential of the former farm buildings.

"Barns are usually out in the sticks somewhere," he says. "It's rare that you see one that is such a short walking distance to the centre of a village.

"Audlem is a very pretty village. It's quite rural but very close to the larger towns of Nantwich and Market Drayton, which offer all the major services and amenities.

"Audlem itself has all the services you need on your doorstep. There's a health centre and it has shops and a small supermarket and three pubs with excellent restaurants.

"There is also a junior school and play groups so it's very much a self-sufficient village, and from there children tend to go on school buses from the village to the Brian Leas High School in Nantwich, which Ofsted had placed as one of the best schools in Cheshire.

"There's a playing field and local football teams, Scout and Brownie groups and that sort of thing.

"The village also has its own special events committee which organises the proms festival, the musical festival, the transport festival and the big bonfire on Bonfire Night. And at Christmas the village meets in the square for carol singing."

Selling Points

Set in the beautiful location of Audlem, voted Cheshire Village Of The Year in 2005.

Properties have been tastefully designed with the traditional style of other properties in the village in mind.

Schools and playgroups are within walking distance.

Self-sufficient village with its own shops, mini-supermarket and health centre, but also within easy reach of the towns of Nantwich and Market Drayton.

All properties come with gardens and either parking spaces, garages or carports, and have been built to above building regulation standards.

The homes have been built with energy efficiency in mind.

More information

For further details, call 01270 812811. Information is also available from Wright Manley on 01270 625410.