Frances Langley and Mike Andrew enjoy their new home at Orford Place, Ham Common

When Frances Langley and Mike Andrew decided to move nearer to family, they searched for a new home in the Richmond area of Surrey. They came across Beechcroft’s Orford Place in Ham and, although they thought it was in the perfect location, work had only just started on the development and they thought that the new homes might be beyond their financial reach. It wasn’t until Frances’s daughter encouraged them to take a closer look at Orford Place that the idea of owning a home there became a reality, as Frances explains:

"We loved Orford Place from the start– but it was a while before we actually visited. We chose one of the newly built homes which is ideal for us. I love the ‘newness’ and the fact that everything works. I always said I would never move to a property without some outside space. Our new home has a private terrace but, initially, we didn’t realise how big the terrace was. When we moved in, we were delighted to discover it was larger than we’d imagined. We have a table and chairs outside, along with a host of potted plants. When the weather is warm, we’re able to eat outside - and entertain our friends. The communal gardens are also lovely – we are constantly discovering beautiful plants."

“There’s a really good sense of community here – and we’ve made some new friends. Everything is coming together really well now that most of the neighbours have moved in. A couple of neighbours, who are film buffs, have started a monthly film club in the development’s meeting room. They’ve just sent round the first brochure and there’s a list of wonderful, up-to-date films listed. An instructor comes in to teach yoga sessions – and I’ve joined the classes. Mike is part of the gardening group, managed by three of the residents who check what needs doing around the allotments and keep an eye on the greenhouses. Mike grows a lot of vegetables; we have had so many runner beans this year and our greenhouse-grown tomatoes have been amazing.  The Estate Manager and his assistant are both very helpful around the site.”

“This is a lovely place to live – a really super area. We’re making the most of the beautiful walks. We really enjoy the freedom of walking out of the door and getting onto the river path or heading to Richmond Park. We lived in a village before but always had to use the car. This area feels semi-rural but we’re just a few minutes’ walk from the bus routes so travelling by public transport is easy – particularly when we want to go into London to see a show. We find we’re using buses more than the car. We really feel that our home at Orford Place was excellent value for money, given the location and the quality of the development.”