Spriggs David

Respectable for dons: 22 Davenant Road is a North Oxford classic

2010-07-20T04:29:00.001-07:00

As well as its leafy side roads and beautiful period houses, North Oxford is famous for its proximity to some of the city’s best schools and for one family, that was what attracted them to the area when they bought their house in Davenant Road. Although it seems like yesterday, that was 19 years ago and now, their children having grown up and moved on, the Lindgrens are downsizing.

There’s every chance that the new owners could be another family with children in a nearby school, which would be apt especially as No 22 has always had strong links to Oxford’s education community. It was built by Trinity College in the 1930’s as two apartments to accommodate married dons. “Bizarrely, Davenant Road was seen in those days as the last street north of the city that was considered respectable for dons,” says Carole Lindgren. “It seems hard to imagine, given that North Oxford is now one of the most desirable places in the city!”

By the time the Lindgrens bought the house in the 1990s, it had long been sold by Trinity then transformed to a family home, although the internal layout remained fairly untouched. “The upstairs layout mirrors downstairs, which is unusual,” says Carole, “but it gives it a sense of symmetry you don’t always find in houses of this period.”

The house has five bedrooms, including a large sitting/dining room and a huge family room. An elegant period conservatory enhances the south side; there is off street parking and a large, secluded garden. “It’s a great house for socialising, for children’s parties and so on. While they were growing up, there were always people coming and yet there was enough space,” she adds.

“Because we are so close to the schools and the city, the children could get anywhere they needed to as they got older. We didn’t have to be an ‘on tap’ taxi service for them!”

The Lindgrens have preserved the period character, creating a comfortable family home, and Carole has a strong vision of how it could be transformed further. “There is a growing trend for contemporary living, and this house offers great potential. You could change the internal layout and expand into the loft to create a really spacious contemporary home,” she says.

Whether or not the house undergoes another transformation, one thing the new owners can be assured of is that north of Davenant Road is definitely very respectable these days.

To Let: The North Oxford house that has everything, even a lake view

2010-06-24T03:10:00.000-07:00

Number 257 Woodstock Road has been transformed from what was already a large, between-the-wars detached house into a spectacular contemporary home. Now available to let with Carter Jonas, it makes the perfect backdrop for modern family life in one of Oxford’s most desirable spots.

Beautifully extended and finished with high quality materials and cutting edge technology, it is possible that this really is the house with everything. Architect Wayne McLennan of Oxford firm McLennan Architects describes their brief: “Our client wanted to create a luxury family home that respected its architectural origins. We saw an opportunity to bring much more natural light and generous space into the house with the use of steel and glass, while keeping as much of the existing house as was valuable.

“As a result, we managed to double the original floor space and have created a feeling of quality throughout with meticulous attention to detail.” The architects worked with Oxford builder Peter Geekie of LamburnGeekie Ltd and the project was completed on budget and ahead of schedule.

The ground floor includes a large, open plan, double height space which is lined with glass concertina doors to the garden and overhead skylights. Limestone flooring and light walls enhance the daylight; the contemporary kitchen is fitted with Leicht appliances and a double aspect gas fire provides heat to this open living space and the adjacent main reception room.

The house is packed with cutting edge technology to support a modern family lifestyle. There is underfloor heating throughout and MVHR (mechanically ventilated heat recovery), an energy-conserving way of refreshing the air inside without having to open the windows. There is CAT5 wiring in almost every room, an internal phone system and an integrated Hot Bird Satellite system.

There are six bedrooms including a large master suite and the bathrooms are fitted with Villeroy and Boch suites, complete with heated towel rails. Outside high quality hardwood decking provides an excellent vantage point to enjoy the garden and the lake view beyond.

Woodstock Road in Central North Oxford is lined with large family houses ranging in period from late Georgian to modern day. Location-wise it is one of Oxford’s most desirable streets, being close to many independent schools and the city centre with excellent transport connections.

257 Woodstock Road is available to let immediately, price on application. To arrange a viewing of this and other properties from Carter Jonas, or if you’re a landlord with a property to let, contact Chris Way on 01865 511444 or visit www.carterjonas.co.uk.

The Quadrant offers smaller firms space to grow

2010-06-24T03:05:00.000-07:00

Abingdon Science Park has its first tenant for Building 28, a series of furnished office suites that are designed for smaller businesses. VisionXS, the UK arm of this international experience specialist firm which provides services to major visitor attractions, has relocated from its base in Culham to take a 613 sq ft unit.

The Quadrant is prominently situated at the entrance to the Science Park and contains units ranging in size from 82 sq ft. “This is an excellent location in which to grow a business,” says Nick Wilkinson of agent Carter Jonas. “Well connected with the major road and rail links, there is ample parking in a spacious, modern environment. The offices are well put together, wired for services and part furnished, so you can move right in with the minimum of fuss.”

Abingdon Science Park is owned and managed by Universal Consolidated Opportunities, which specialises in providing quality working environments for its tenants and their businesses. The Science Park is largely occupied by larger businesses and Building 28, The Quadrant is the first to be geared at smaller firms. Features include suspended ceilings with recessed lighting, network cabling in situ, kitchen facilities and full carpeting.

For further information contact Nick Wilkinson at Carter Jonas on 01865 517000, visit www.quadrant-sciencepark.co.uk or www.carterjonas.co.uk/commercial. Find VisionXS at www.visionxs.co.uk.

A house ‘in touch with its garden’ offers great potential

2010-05-10T05:56:00.000-07:00

Juniper House is a secluded farmhouse near Toot Baldon, a tiny hamlet close to Marsh Baldon, one of Oxfordshire’s most desirable villages. This rare find is surrounded by open fields and part of this thriving rural community, famous for its good primary school, cricket pitch and the popular Mole Inn.

The house was constructed around 40 years ago by Queens College as the farmhouse to its adjacent farm. The College separated the two some years ago and kept the farm, preserving its secluded, natural environment. “It really is very peaceful here and there are many lovely walks, right from outside the gate,” says Professor Avis, who owns the house with his wife. Both are retired academics and are now moving to downsize.

When built, Juniper House was a contemporary house ahead of its time. The ground floor has large open living spaces with lots of light and there are four bedrooms, three of them doubles. The Avis’ have added a south-facing conservatory and larger, double-glazed windows, enhancing its style and spaciousness, and making the most of the country views. The ground floor also contains an annexe, which is currently separate accommodation but could easily become an office or a studio, and there is also a double garage. “The house is very flexible,” he adds, “both my wife and I have worked from home in the past, and it a very pleasant working environment. We are also just fifteen minutes from Oxford by car.”

Being centrally positioned in two thirds of an acre plot gives Juniper House significant potential for expansion or redevelopment. The gardens are laid out very naturally, with lawns adorned with mature trees such as silver birch, willow, apple and plum, and the property is surrounded by open fields on three sides. “It is a house that’s very much in touch with its garden and its surroundings,” says Professor Avis.

Juniper House is on the market with offers in excess of £625,000 invited. To arrange a viewing contact Mark Charter on 01865 511444 or visit www.carterjonas.co.uk.

BRYANT OFFERS HELP TO BUYERS AT KINGS WALK

2010-03-17T03:04:00.000-07:00

Bryant Homes Oxfordshire is offering buyers of the remaining two apartments at Kings Walk in Wantage the choice of either a Shared Equity scheme or a deposit match for up to 15%. Kings Walk is a modern apartment scheme in the heart of the town comprising 24 spacious homes that are all finished to a high standard.

The two remaining properties are first-floor, two-bedroom apartments, one with an impressive corner balcony and large, 16 ft living area. All of the homes at Kings Walk are finished with stylish kitchens with quality appliances, white and chrome bathroom suites and complete flooring. They are ready for occupation now.

Homes at Kings Walk are on the market from £149,995. To arrange a viewing contact Gillian Yau at Carter Jonas on 01865 511444 or visit www.carterjonas.co.uk.

MAKE YOUR POOCH PEACHY FOR LESS

2010-02-26T07:21:00.000-08:00

March 2010: This spring you can get your dog peachy clean for a little bit less thanks to a promotion from Ancol’s Ergo range of grooming products. Buy any grooming product within the Ergo range and you’ll receive £5 off a session with the Dialadogwash mobile grooming service. What’s more, when the grooming session is done, you’ll receive a free copy of ‘Grooming Tips’, the Ergo guide to grooming your dog between washes and packed with good advice on keeping your pooch in tip top condition. ‘Grooming Tips’ also contains personal record of your dog’s grooming record, coat type, collar size and other features.

Ergo quality grooming brushes and tools give you everything you need to keep your dog’s coat in great condition and are available nationwide from the vast range of independent pet stores across the UK. Search the product range and where to buy at www.ancol.co.uk. Dialadogwash is the UK’s leading mobile grooming service - find your nearest at www.dialadogwash.co.uk. The £5 discount is available from 1 March 2010.

ENDS

Oxfordshire pupils go wild with Dr George McGavin

2010-02-25T06:21:00.000-08:00

Photos by Karen David

World famous scientist, explorer and TV presenter Dr George McGavin joined more than 100 pupils from county schools at a Café des Sciences on Biodiversity hosted by St Edward’ School. Dr McGavin took the students on a whirlwind journey of the world’s species, sparking discussion and debate on the critical role of biodiversity in science and the environment.

Dr George McGavin comments: “This is the International Year of Biodiversity and all over the world we are doing more to raise awareness, especially among the younger generations, about how important it is to learn about and conserve all types of species. Ideas such as the Café des Sciences, where students get outside the classroom and are given a choice of topics they can discover and debate for themselves, are a great way to excite their enthusiasm.”

On the menu for discussion were ‘Why the need for biodiversity and the benefits it brings,’ and ‘How we can stem or prevent the loss.’ After the talk pupils discussed their ideas with Dr McGavin. Schools brought poster displays they had created on biodiversity issues which were judged by Dr McGavin at the end of the evening. Cherwell School won for Most Creative, and Didcot Girls’ School won for Most Scientific Content. Matthieu Marshall of Cherwell School and Eleanor Suter of Didcot Girls School accepted their schools’ awards from Dr McGavin.

Students attending were all Years 8-11 (13-16 years) and were from Cherwell School, Didcot Girls’ School, Headington School and St Edward’s School.

Café des Sciences is supported by St Edward’s School, Oxford and Oxford International Biomedical Centre, a registered charity which promotes healthcare, research and education, with an emphasis on giving state school pupils some of the advantages in science education that their peers in the independent sector receive – www.oibc.org.uk.

Dr George McGavin with Kendall Williams of St Edward's School

Picture Perfect

2010-02-25T06:14:00.000-08:00

Published in The Oxford Times

Ivybank in Shilton is a classic Cotswold house that has been restored to picture perfection. The owners, renowned photo-journalist Stephen Markeson and his wife Juliana, have lovingly restored their home with a huge amount of creative flair, making a bright and comfortable family home that reflects the heritage of its 19^th century origins.

The three bedroom family home is beautifully presented and charmingly pretty. Deceptively spacious, the entrance hall is grand for a house of its period, and a galleried landing adds light.

“The house, when we bought it, was in very good structural order,” says Juliana. “but the layout was not ideal for modern family living and we wanted to make it work for our lifestyle and interests,” she adds. “For example, Stephen is a very keen cook and firmly believes that the kitchen is the heart of the house, so we installed a new farmhouse kitchen, designed and equipped to be just how he wanted it.” The Markesons also enlarged the dining area, adding French windows to give access to the garden and make more of the wonderful views over the valley.

The most striking change, and one of the simplest, was to the appearance of the front of the house. “The property looked slightly forbidding, with UPVC windows and a dark blue front door” explains Juliana. “By upgrading the windows, and changing the door to pale green with brass, we immediately made the house look more welcoming.”

New bathrooms were also installed, including a charming Victorian style en suite, and the whole house was redecorated to create a light, airy interior with simple finishes and natural materials, such as limestone flooring in the kitchen and shower room. “The hall is really lovely, which we have painted in a very warm colour, and this also forms a perfect backdrop for Stephen’s black and white photographs."

By coincidence, Ivybank has a strong photographic heritage, as Juliana explains: “The previous owner’s uncle had been a very keen early amateur photographer, who had compiled an extensive photographic record of the village on his plate camera (some of the images now hang in the village hall). She was delighted that the house would once again be occupied by a photographer and astonished Stephen by arriving at the house one day with her uncle’s camera and some of the original glass plates, which are now amongst Stephen’s most prized possessions.”

The Markesons will miss Shilton as much as the house. “Shilton is a thriving and friendly community,” she says. “On the day we moved in neighbours invited us to a drinks party, which made us feel at home from the start. Now, Stephen’s retirement is enabling us to fulfill a long cherished dream of buying a property abroad; we are buying something smaller in Oxfordshire and have the happy task of finding something that we will love as much as Shilton on the other side of the Channel.”

Ivybank is on the market through Carter Jonas for £695,000. Contact Mark Charter on 01865 511444 to arrange a viewing.

Woodside Farmhouse, a tranquil dream

2010-02-25T06:10:00.000-08:00

A beautiful development in Nuneham Courtney is benefiting from cutting edge technology and the outstanding design skills of developer BCL. Woodside Farmhouse is one of three luxurious dwellings crafted from historic buildings that were part of New Barn Farm, a 30-acre site situated on the edge of the village.

“The barns are very modern, although we have restored the farmhouse to its charming self as a comfortable rural residence,” says Warren Smart, director of BCL (pictured). Traditional finishings and craftsmanship combine with up to the minute engineering techniques that also make the house environmentally responsible. For example, the house is served by geothermal heating, which is a direct substitute for oil or gas. “There is no gas to the site and oil can be very expensive,” explains Warren Smart. “The geothermal system derives energy from ground source boreholes sunk into the ground, which in turn power heat pumps, so the heating costs will be a fraction of what they would have been.” The house is also heavily insulated, low energy lighting is installed throughout and solar panels can be added to the roof in an entirely unobtrusive way.

Woodside Farmhouse has four bedrooms and two bathrooms on the first floor and series of reception rooms on the ground floor including a separate dining room and large kitchen/breakfast room. There is an open fire in the Drawing Room and a log burner in the Library, adding to the country house atmosphere, although the house has a bright and spacious feel thanks to a central roof lantern that floods the central hall and stairs with light. The kitchen is Shaker-style, with a handpainted finish and high standard appliances. The house is nestled in gardens of almost an acre and comes with an additional 8.5-acre paddock.

Woodside Farmhouse is the first dwelling in this exclusive, tranquil community that BCL is bringing to the market. The whole site is being restored to its historic splendour, notably by burying the electrical cables than ran across it. “It looks sublime, just as it did in the early days before there were any modern artefacts disrupting the landscape,” says Warren Smart.

“The former owners were keen to see New Barn Farm pass into safe hands,” he adds. “When they put the property on the market, they’d already had the idea of developing the house and barns and we felt a genuine ‘meeting of minds’ when we told them our plans. We think they would approve of the ‘BCL stamp of quality’ we have placed on the development.”

Woodwide Farmhouse is on the market for £950,000. To arrange a viewing, contact Mark Charter at Carter Jonas on 01865 51144 or visit www.carterjonas.co.uk.

Like to live in a Drinking Den?

2010-02-25T06:04:00.000-08:00

A former private members club in the heart of Summertown could become a fabulous single residence or an exclusive new residential or commercial development. The North Oxford Grove House Club pulled its last pints a few weeks ago, and the site is now on the market and available for re-development.

The Club, formally the Oxford Liberal Club, is in Grove Street, conveniently placed at the north end of Summertown’s main shopping area. The property currently provides around 5,356 sqft of accommodation and its origins are Victorian; there are two main function rooms on the ground floor, sharing a large bar and clad with wooden panelling and red velvet seating. Upstairs are two meeting rooms and offices whilst on the second floor there is a two-bedroom apartment. A small garden is fully enclosed by a stone wall and there is a single parking space.

“Given its location and corner position, this is a wonderful opportunity to re-develop the club as a stylish family home, business premises, or into a smart new residential development” says Miles Collison of agent Carter Jonas.

The North Oxford Grove House Club is on the market for offers in excess of £800,000. Contact Miles Collison at Carter Jonas on 01865 511444 or visit www.carterjonas.co.uk.

Riverside luxury with an agricultural heritage

2010-02-22T04:54:00.000-08:00

Written for The Oxford Times, 25 February 2010

Nestling on the banks of the River Thame, Talbot Cottage couldn’t be more idyllic. This stone and brick cottage is set within two and a quarter acres of grounds, including a decent stretch of around 120 yards of river frontage, complete with fishing rights.

Now a comfortable family home with four bedrooms, a separate annex and outdoor pool, Talbot Cottage shares a strong agricultural heritage with the surrounding area, having once been part of the village market garden complex. It last changed hands around nine years ago and has been completely renovated by its current owners, the Johns’. Alan Johns describes how they built the Annexe: “When we bought the house, there was an old barn in the grounds that used to be a Beetroot Shed. It was single storey and quite utilitarian, but we had the idea of creating some extra living accommodation by adding a pitched roof.” The result is a charming, self contained, one bedroom annexe, with vaulted ceilings and modern, open living space. “In homage to its origins, we were tempted to paint the walls beetroot red, but resisted,” he adds.

The Beetroot Shed - before and after:

The Johns’ have made major improvements to the main house as well, bringing it up to date and replacing all of the doors and the windows with energy-efficient double glazing throughout. They have added ground source heating which provides significant benefits, both to their heating bills and to the environment. “We have around 800 metres of pipe buried in the ground which is collecting and delivering heat to the pump. It provides heating and hot water for the house, the annexe and even heats the swimming pool. It costs a great deal less than the previous oil system and it’s better for the environment too.” Where the pipes are buried the Johns have created a wildflower meadow which will become a haven for local wildlife.

“We love the location and, as we’re moving to downsize, we don’t intend to move too far,” says Alan Johns. “It really is fantastic here.”

Talbot Cottage is on the market for £1,000.000. Interested? Find it online here or call Carter Jonas in Oxford on 01865 511444.

Overcoming the buy-to-let blues

2009-09-08T08:05:00.000-07:00

Oxford property market: Signs that the property market may be picking up are prompting investors to think about re-entering the buy to let market. Lower prices, higher demand in some areas and favourable interest rates all contribute to making the market look more attractive than it was even six months ago, but Christopher Way, lettings manager at Carter Jonas warns about the pitfalls for those that don’t do their homework.

The first is financial. Interest rates on buy to let mortgages have fallen to an average of 5.88 per cent, compared with 7.01 per cent a year ago, which is good news for landlords with a variable rate deal. However, availability of lending is still pitifully low. According to The Council of Mortgage Lenders figures, as just 7,790 loans were agreed in the second quarter of this year; less than a quarter of those in the same period last year. Unless investors have a significant amount of personal equity for a purchase, it could be harder than ever to find finance.

Second is type of property. One of the biggest mistakes a landlord can make is buying the wrong type of property for the local market. Those that do their research will understand which properties are most in demand and invest accordingly. Taking advice from an experienced lettings agent is critical, even to landlords familiar with an area, as the market can change from street to street. In Oxford, for example, apartments are in higher demand than in other parts of the county as the city isn’t suffering from over-supply as much as elsewhere in the country. Also, the economic climate is prompting more people this year to take up postgraduate courses in the city, with the ‘knock on’ effect of creating even more demand for these types of properties.

Third is timing. Investors seem to have a natural instinct to try to buy at the bottom and sell at the top. In fact, the canniest prefer to look for bargains in yield by buying a property that meets the demand for the area and therefore attracts those quality, long term tenants. So rather than waiting until the market ‘bottoms out’, buying the right property now at a good price could achieve an impressive yield in the short term and, as the market really does pick up, be a winning investment in the medium to long term.

Celebrate resilience

2009-06-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

The Oxfordshire Business Awards is a sure fire indicator of the fighting-fitness of the county's business community.

Many firms in Oxfordshire have seen their sales volumes plummet in the last twelve months and there is a number that aren't going to make it to the upturn. Sombre news with little cause for celebration. But what this awards night shows is that firms in this county are achieving growth, gaining market share and even being born from the deepest of recessions.

Take European Electronique, which collected three gongs for the first time ever. This sizeable, 20-year-old IT services provider could be the type of firm to be sinking with the rise in cost cutting practices of its clients, or at best treading water. But no, it is showing itself to be as fresh, innovative and creative as ever to propel itself forward. Tom Courage (there's a name if ever there was one) of Key Hips came out and cited the dismal housing market as actually helping the firm to grow "...because we simply would not have been able to keep up with demand without it."

Now there's chutzpah for you.

Environmnetally sustainable businesses seem to be bucking the economic trend in Oxfordshire as much as anywhere, many having grown exponentially in the last decade. Eynsham's Ice Energy, now large enough to sponsor its own Environmental Award for Property and Construction, awarded handed it to Blenheim Estates for its Sawmills development, a beautiful collection of business units with all the right environmental credentials. Fired Earth picked up the Sustainability award for its environmental practices, another example of an established firm definitely not sitting on its laurels.