This week is New Homes Week, showcasing the vast range of beautiful new homes available around the UK and the advantages of opting for a new build home.
It also shines a spotlight on well-designed neighbourhoods which benefit wellness, good health, community and the environment.
Here are five of our top considerations when designing great places where people can live, work and play – ideal to keep in mind when viewing your dream new home.
1.Outdoor space
Whether it’s a balcony or a garden, outdoor space offers you place to breathe fresh air, get closer to nature and relax – all beneficial for your mental and physical health. Green public spaces like playing fields, parks, playgrounds and allotments are ideal for keeping fit, walking the dog, playing and meeting friends.
2.Travel options
Well-connected neighbourhoods have good access to the surrounding area as well as major transport routes and public transport connections – so you can quickly get where you need to go. And as more and more people take up cycling and walking – especially during the Covid19 pandemic – the best newly-built neighbourhoods benefit from safe and well-lit cycle lanes and pathways.
3.Great facilities
Having facilities like shops, cafes, healthcare, play areas and gyms within walking or cycling distance make life easier and cheaper, while offering a place to socialise. And by leaving your car at home, you’re helping the environment too.
4.Childcare and schools
If you have children or are planning on having them in the future, the location of nurseries and schools is an important consideration. Walking to school can boost a child’s physical and mental health, confidence and social skills
5.Street layout
Well connected and overlooked streets create attractive places to play and walk through, rather than being car dominated roads. Do the streets around your dream home suit your lifestyle? For example, is there a 20mph speed limit, that makes the streets safer for your children to play on?
New Homes Week is organised by the Home Builders Federation