The Lincolnshire market town of Grantham is a popular commuter town for people working in the nearby cities of Nottingham (25 miles) or Peterborough (36 miles), both accessible by rail from the town's station. Most famous as the birthplace of former minister Margaret Thatcher, Grantham is also well-known for its highly regarded schools - and as the place where Isaac Newton went to school.
The town also has parks with play areas for children, and plenty of green spaces nearby to escape to at weekends, including Ponton Park Wood, which is home to some lovely walks, and the attractive gardens and deer park of the National Trust's Belton House.
House-hunters in the area will find a good choice of new developments in Grantham and the surrounding area to suit a range of budgets, whether they are looking for town centre or rural locations.
A mile-and-a-half west of the town centre, David Wilson Homes'Barrowby Edge offers a selection of two- to five-bedroom homes priced from £129,995 to £339,995, with options to suit first-time buyers and families. With a rural setting and rolling countryside right on its doorstep, the development also has all the conveniences of the town centre within a five minute drive, and the A1 and other road links close by for commuters to Lincoln and Nottingham.
A mile east of the town centre, spicerhaart has a two-bedroom detached bungalow with garage available at 15 Kenwick Drive, priced at £117,500. There are local shops, schools and bus stops nearby, while all the shops and other amenities of Grantham's centre are within easy walking distance of the property.
For families who would rather live a little further out of town, and put down roots in an area with well-regarded schools, David Wilson Homes has an attractive new development called DeVessey Village in the town of Sleaford, an attractive tourist and craft destination. The development offers a range of three-, four- and five-bedroom home priced from £219,995. Surrounded by woodland and located next to Sleaford Golf Course, there is an on-site community orchard and a network of local footpaths and cycleways along the nearby River Slea - making it the perfect spot for families who enjoy spending time outdoors. Sleaford train station is just over a mile away and the development is also close to the A1, making it ideal for commuters, with Grantham and Lincoln both about a 20-minute drive away.
Alternatively, in the same location, Barratt's Barratt At DeVessey Village offers a selection of three- and four-bedroom homes built in designs that blend in with the established local area, and which will also benefit from the on-site orchard, two airing courts, and pleasant local walks (prices on application).
The same two developers are also building new homes in Fernwood Village on the outskirts of the historic Nottinghamshire market town of Newark-on-Trent, about 14 miles north of Grantham. David Wilson Homes has three- and four-bedroom homes at Fernwood Village, while Barratt Homes has one-, three- and four-bedroom properties available at their development at Fernwood Village. Situated off the A1, with a mainline station in Newark, this peaceful development is within easy commuting distance of Nottingham (26 miles away). A primary school has just opened on the development; there is a leisure centre in Fernwood with a good choice of facilities; and Newark itself offers a wide range of amenities focused around the beautiful market square.