Eric and Janet Branson find the perfect apartment in the perfect place at Cotswold Gate

Of course, many retirees decide to move closer to friends and family but many more decide to embark on a new adventure. This has certainly been the case for Eric and Janet Branson, the first home owners to move into an apartment at Beechcroft’s Cotswold Gate development in Burford, West Oxfordshire. In fact, Mrs Branson says their mission was ‘…to find the perfect apartment in the perfect place, to put our bags down and enjoy ourselves’ – and that is just what the couple has achieved at Beechcroft’s new development.

Designed for the over 55s,  Cotswold Gate is a stylish development of elegant, energy-efficient houses and apartments located opposite Burford Garden Company within easy reach of Burford town centre. Each new home features a terrace, balcony, private garden or a combination of these, along with allocated parking. Private gardens, as well as the beautifully landscaped setting, are maintained by an Estate Manager who also takes responsibility for the communal areas. The development has a residents’ lounge, a guest suite for visiting family and friends and a shuttle bus service into Burford.

“We moved to Cotswold Gate because we wanted a home that required less physical maintenance,” explains Mrs Branson. “We were looking to be in a semi-rural location but close to amenities and services, with good road and rail connections. We decided that we needed an apartment that was new, full of light, with plenty of storage and good entertaining space – and it was important that we could see greenery.”

“We started looking for our perfect home last June. At the time we were living in Sidmouth, which is beautiful but we couldn’t find what we wanted there so we looked all over the south.”

“Over the years, we have come across Beechcroft developments and one of the things that has always attracted us is the planting. Beechcroft not only builds with local materials but also landscapes and plants its developments really well.”

“We looked at the Burford development and found a two-bedroom apartment that met all our criteria. We know the Cotswolds - but not very well - so this is a new adventure for us late in life. This is going to be our final home and we are here for a great time – so we don’t want any problems with buildings or gardens. At Cotswold Gate, we will be able to entertain but we will also have the benefit of a guest suite.”

“The Beechcroft staff made everything really easy for us and we managed to move quite quickly. Throughout the sales and customer service teams have been helpful, always at the end of the ‘phone. It feels they really care about us as customers and any snags have been addressed very swiftly.”