Rom-com reader Emma Hart always imagined the place she’d like to set up her family home... Rom-com reader Emma Hart always imagined the place she’d like to set up her family home and that dream has become a reality since moving to Priory Gardens at Yew Tree Park, Burscough.
I wanted one of the villages they describe in the books, with a canal and a lovely community, somewhere nice to bring up children, she recalls.
That’s exactly what Emma and fiancé Steven Pannett have found in Anwyl Homes’ Priory Gardens development.
I love Burscough – the people are really friendly, it’s safe and it’s got character, Emma adds. And I love our new home too. This is our forever home – and we have no intentions of moving ever!
Teacher Emma, 33, previously lived in Ormskirk, having moved from Prescot 10 years ago. She’d lived in rented accommodation until meeting 32-year-old IT specialist Steven, from Middlesbrough. The couple, who first met online, got engaged in October last year and began looking at wedding venues, but a first home together became a more pressing priority when they saw the Priory Gardens development – and realised it was where they wanted to build their new life together.
We came to the opening weekend and we loved the sales team because they weren’t trying to force us into anything, and they listened to us, explains Emma. We loved the homes because they had a different feel. They are new-build but they still have character, they have high ceilings and big windows so they feel really spacious and light, and they’re well-built.
Emma and Steven chose a Lymm style four-bedroom detached property which has an open plan kitchen/dining area with French doors leading to the garden, a lounge at the front, and an integral garage, as well as a utility and downstairs cloakroom. Upstairs, there are four bedrooms – the main with a fitted wardrobe and en-suite shower room – and a family bathroom.
It’s where we want to spend the rest of our lives together and hopefully have children,” says Emma. “This is our family home, we saved and saved to get somewhere bigger. The kitchen/diner is amazing, it’s such a bright and sociable space, and we’ve already had friends around, sitting in there, and it’s lovely. Upstairs is deceptively big. Our room has an en-suite and brilliant built-in wardrobes; there’s a room we’re using as an office because Steven works from home and so do I evenings and weekends; a guest room, so my mum and Steven’s family can come and stay over, and a fourth bedroom for when, hopefully, we have a child.
Emma loves the house so much she has started an Instagram account – our_lymm_adventure – where she charted its build and hopes to develop the story as she and Steven make the home their own.
I’d noticed people had home accounts and so when we reserved – I created one too. It’s a proper online community. Other people who have Lymm houses message me and people in similar situations get in touch. I made friends with someone in Preston and we met at an open day there. You can talk about options, and what other people are planning to do, and people obviously ask about Anwyl and I can share my positive story. Someone on the development has added me so it’s a great way to get to know more people, although I already love our next-door neighbours, and you can find out about local businesses. I’ve ordered a door sign from a local tradesman and messaged someone else about a wreath.
The couple are enjoying starting to furnish their home. They’ve built a huge bookcase in the office, put up curtains and they are waiting for more furniture as they chose to buy much from new so it’s the home they’ve created together.
It’s amazing, says Emma. It’s better than we had ever imagined. I found my ideal man and now we have our ideal home.
Priory Gardens at Yew tree Park is within an already-thriving community with plenty of shops, schools and services, and a Tesco and Booths supermarket nearby. Two local train stations make it a great base for commuting to Preston, Liverpool and Manchester, as well as Ormskirk. For more information, go to www.anwylhomes.co.uk/priorygardens or call 01704 614993.
