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Searching for your first home, your next-step or maybe your forever home? Buying a brand-new property could be the perfect choice.

Here are Deanfield’s top nine reasons to buy new.

1. Blank Canvas

Every new home is a beautiful blank canvas. There’s no need to update tired décor or replace worn-out carpets. No hidden surprises – just move in, unpack and start creating your own unique style.

2. Spoilt For Choice

Buy on a new development and you can have the pick of the plots. Purchasing off-plan means you can select a property in the perfect location and select from the different house types available to ensure all your dream property tick boxes are fulfilled.

3. The Green Option

New build homes are designed and built to the highest standards of energy efficiency, making then more eco-friendly and cheaper to run. The built environment contributes to around 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint so choosing new is the greener choice – now and for future generations.

4. Low Maintenance

Buying new comes with peace of mind. With brand new kitchens and bathrooms, newly installed plumbing and electrics and a fresh coat of paint throughout the house, you’ll be able to spend your spare time doing the things you love, not putting right other people’s DIY disasters!

5. Community Feel

There’s a unique sense of community on a new homes development, with your neighbours all moving in at a similar time. At Deanfield Homes, we build in village locations with a good range of local amenities, so our homeowners also become part of an established wider community.

6. No Chain in Sight

Because you’re buying your home directly from the developer, there is no upward chain when you buy new. And that means your house purchase is much more likely to go through quickly and smoothly.

7. Support for First Time Buyers

Buying new opens up a whole host of additional support in buying your home. The Government’s Help to Buy Scheme, for example (which is available until March 2023), helps first-time buyers by providing an equity loan of up to 20% of the cost of the property, with buyers only having to save a 5% deposit to secure a 75% mortgage.

8. Choose your finishes

If you decide to secure your new property early enough, you can custom design your home as it’s being built – choosing from a selection of walling and floor tiles, carpets and having a say on the extra details like the colour of your kitchen, worktop finishes and door handles.

9. Ten Year Warranty

When you buy new you buy with confidence. All new homes come with the reassurance of an independent ten-year NHBC warranty.

Find out more about Deanfield Homes’ range of new homes available now and coming soon across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

This month sees Deanfield Homes celebrate its fifth anniversary since the acquisition of it’s first development site. We caught up with founder and Managing Director Peter Blades on the company’s journey to date, the future plans for the business and what sets Deanfield apart from the competition.

What led you to set up Deanfield Homes in 2017?

Creating and leading a new housebuilding business was something I had aspired to do for many years. By 2017, I had worked in the housebuilding industry for over 25 years and held senior roles within larger, multi-region housebuilders.

However, the reality was that the more senior I became, the further I moved away from the day-to-day aspects of the job that I really love. The time therefore felt right to break out of the corporate mould and do something different. Once I had made that decision, I was fortunate enough to secure an experienced investor, the Prowting Group, who have helped at every step of the way to ensure the concept of Deanfield Homes became a reality.

What was your original vision for the business?

At the time that Deanfield Homes was founded, I felt there was a gap in the market for a housebuilder which focused on developments of between 20 and 50 homes – sites that were too large for small builders but too small for volume housebuilders. I always had a very clear idea of what a ‘Deanfield location’ would look like – sustainable, desirable, well-established villages across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire.

The reality is that many new SME housebuilders were being created at a similar time with similar concepts, however, we held our own and manged to secure some amazing development sites. Some smaller and some larger than the original vision, but all in desirable and sustainable villages in keeping with the definition of a Deanfield location.

Customer satisfaction was also always going to be a major focus – delivering a great customer experience from start to finish makes good business sense for Deanfield and creates obvious benefits to all our customers.  A real win-win!

I also wanted Deanfield to be a trusted business that delivers on its promises, whether that be to a customer, a subcontractor a landowner or a land agent. One of the reasons that we secured our very first site in a competitive market was because the landowner and the agents knew of our team from a transaction over a decade earlier.  We delivered on our promises then and they trusted we would deliver on our promises again, which of course we did and continue to do.

What have been the key achievements over the last five years?

Securing our very first site in such a prime location was obviously a significant milestone and launched the business in the right way. From there, we have built a brand that is now gaining recognition for quality design and customer satisfaction.

We have achieved significant growth over the last five years, despite the challenges of Brexit and a global pandemic. We have launched eight developments, built a great team of nearly 30 people and are now investing in a move to larger premises for the next stage of our journey.

Above all, I think it’s our culture that I’m most proud of and what I believe really sets us apart. We take genuine pride in the homes we build and take care in the locations in which we operate. Ultimately, the whole team get a real buzz from our customer engagement and the legacy of the developments we are creating.

What are your future aspirations and goals for Deanfield?

We aim to be consistently delivering at least 150 homes per year within the next three years whilst still focusing on aspirational locations and delivering a quality product and service. We have continued strong financial backing from the Prowting Group and our banking partners and will be an active player in the regional land market as we build a strong pipeline of sites to fuel that growth.

What do you see as the critical factors for success?

Maintaining our culture and continuing to build a great team who are committed, energetic and want to help shape the business as we grow.

Continued strong relationships with our investors and banking partners will be key, as will maintaining strong housing association and subcontractor partnerships, treating our supply chain well and providing them with the security of long-term repeat business.

From a land perspective it will be about staying true to our strategy of building the right product in the right location. If we continue to achieve this, the quality of our homes and the desirable location of our sites will ensure there is always a market for our developments.

The planning environment does remain a real concern. A lack of resource within local government is leading to significant delays in planning decisions. This, combined with often onerous pre-commencement conditions, can have a huge impact on all housebuilders but particularly the SME sector, where acquiring and holding sites for a considerable period of time while planning issues are being resolved can create a funding constraint.

How do you see the way we live in our homes influencing future design?

A more flexible approach to working is undoubtedly giving people more freedom to choose where they live. In the South-East, we have seen a huge increase in demand for semi-rural locations with good transport links to Oxford and London.

Our homes have always been designed with distinct living spaces, which we have found more popular than open plan living, and this is likely to continue as more people work from home.

Sustainability is high on everyone’s agenda and, at Deanfield, we strive to be ahead of building regulations when it comes reducing carbon emissions in our homes. We are focused on improving energy efficiency, providing EV charging points and exploring opportunities for renewable energy solutions wherever possible.

Sustainable development is about leaving a lasting legacy and building homes for many generations to come – and that’s what we’re all about at Deanfield.

With Spring just around the corner, we caught up with design experts Lifestyle Interiors to discover the top interior trends for the upcoming season and how you can incorporate them into your own home.

Bringing the outside in

As we all work towards a greener tomorrow, it has become increasingly popular to reflect this within our home environment. Spring will see the blossoming of stunning flowers and greenery, so bring the outside in. Surrounding yourself with nature and incorporating botanicals into your design scheme can do wonders for your mental health and wellbeing.

DIY and upcycling

Sustainability is on everybody’s mind and people are becoming more creative with the resources that they have at home. DIY and upcycling is definitely in, whether it be DIY room décor or reusing and upcycling old and outdated furniture. There is also a move towards using natural and organic materials to create an ethically furnished home.

Working from home

Hybrid working is here to stay and those lucky enough to have the space are now upgrading their ‘desk in the corner’ to a dedicated home office. Comfort, style and efficiency are key for a home working space so invest in essential furniture pieces to help with functionality and productivity. Wide long tabletops, ergonomic chairs and natural lighting can create the basis of a healthy yet stylish work environment – then your Zoom-worthy décor style is up to you!

Colour of the year

This new season is crying out for natural yet bold colours; Veri Peri is Pantone’s colour of the year for 2022 and consists of a striking violet shade with blue hues and red undertones. There is a growing trend to move away from previously popular greys and monochrome and embrace warmer colours. Vibrant shades can help brighten up the new season as we leave the cold and dark winter behind us.

For more interior design tips and regular inspiration from our professionally-designed showhomes follow us on Instagram @deanfield_homes_ltd

Deanfield Homes has been granted planning permission for an exclusive collection of five family properties in the Buckinghamshire village of Bledlow.

‘Deanfield Gate’ will feature three and four-bedroom homes designed in keeping with the character of the local area and offers a rare opportunity to buy an energy efficient new-build property in this popular village location.

With an impressive track record in sensitive development in rural locations, this latest development will further strengthen Deanfield Homes’ presence in Buckinghamshire.

Bledlow is a picturesque village, located on the edge of the Chiltern Hills AONB with views over rolling countryside, and has been a popular filming location for TV series Midsomer Murders. It boasts a village hall, cricket club and pub as well as a beautiful church, Holy Trinity, which dates back to the 12^th and 13th centuries. A wider range of facilities, including a good choice of schools, can be found in nearby Longwick, Chinnor, Great Kimble and Princes Risborough.

An excellent location for commuters, Bledlow offers easy access to the M40, with both Aylesbury and Oxford within easy reach. Princes Risborough, just over two miles away, provides direct rail services into London Marylebone in around 40 minutes.

Andrew Harvey, land director at Deanfield Homes, comments:

“We are delighted to have been granted permission by Buckinghamshire Council for a select development in this popular village location. Deanfield Gate follows other successful developments in the county including Deanfield Park in Ickford and Deanfield View in Marsh Gibbon. We will adopt the same sensitive approach to development, taking inspiration from the local area to bring high quality homes to Bledlow.”

Ickford is one of Buckinghamshire’s most sought-after villages, combining traditional rural living with great local amenities and excellent transport links.

With properties at our Deanfield Park development selling quickly, we’ve pulled together the top five reasons why buyers are choosing a move to Ickford. 

1. A Strong Sense of Community 

Ickford is a close-knit village with a great community spirit and a range of facilities on its doorstep. It has an active parish council and a village hall hosting events throughout the year. St Nicholas Church also provides a central hub for the village.

Primary education is provided by the renowned Ickford School which became an Academy in 2016 and is rated Outstanding by Ofsted. The village also has a shop with post office, a sports pavilion and The Rising Sun pub.

2. Staying Well Connected 

A new home in Ickford is perfect for commuters and those looking to combine office and home working. Easy access is offered to the M40, and Haddenham and Thame Parkway is just over six miles away offering rail services to London Marylebone in around 45 minutes. Heathrow Airport is also around 45 minutes away. Public transport is good locally too, with regular bus services to Aylesbury and Thame.

3. Indulge in Retail Therapy 

Just a short journey over the 17^th century bridge into Oxfordshire and you can be in the ‘city of dreaming spires’ in just 25 minutes. Oxford is a hub of education, culture and shopping, from high street stores to designer boutiques. The Westgate Centre offers all your essentials whilst Bicester Village will indulge you with its designer outlet stores. Thame, with its range of shops and major supermarkets, is less than five miles away.

4. Picturesque Countryside on Your Doorstep

There is no shortage of country walks and cycle routes within close proximity to Ickford, making it the perfect base for lovers of the outdoors. Try a circular walk taking in the Grade II listed 17^th Century Brill Windmill or take your bike out on the Phoenix Trial, an 11km cycleway between Thame and Princes Risborough which offers magnificent views of the nearby Chiltern Hills. There is also a good range of community sports clubs in the wider area for all ages and abilities.

5. A Rich History

Ickford is a historic village first recorded in the Doomsday Book of 1086 as ‘Iforde’. It is rich in architectural style and character with properties from across the centuries. St Nicholas Church dates back to the late 12^th or early 13^th century and The Rising Sun pub is a 17^th-century timber-framed building with brick nogging and a timber-framed roof.

It’s also a village of tradition. Since 1953 there has been an annual tug-of-war competition between Ickford and the neighbouring village of Tiddington on their opposing sides of the River Thame!

So if you’re interested in a move to Ickford, find out more about our Deanfield Park development, where we are now offering a range of two, three and four bedroom homes. 

December 2021: Deanfield Homes has broken ground on a new development in the heart of the Oxfordshire Village of Stanton Harcourt. The 11-acre site will feature a collection of 40 homes, set amongst six acres of landscaped green open space.

‘Deanfields’ will offer a range of properties including three to five bedroom homes for private sale and one to three bedroom properties for affordable rent and shared ownership. All will be traditional in design in keeping with the rural location. A select number of homes will be released for sale off-plan in February 2022, with the first residents expected to move in in the Autumn of 2022.

Peter Blades, Managing Director of Deanfield Homes, comments;

“Deanfields marks our continued investment in Oxfordshire and we’re delighted to be bringing quality new homes to such a sought-after location. We have a strong track record in sensitive village development and have taken inspiration from the local area to combine modern, energy efficient homes with traditional materials and finishes.”

Located within easy reach of Oxford, Stanton Harcourt is renowned for its local countryside and picturesque walks. The village has a pub, village hall, cricket club and St Michael’s Church which dates back to the Norman era. The village primary school is rated Good by Ofsted.

Further facilities, including a secondary school, can be found in the near-by village of Eynsham and Witney is less than six miles away which has both a Sainsburys and a Waitrose.

Ideal for commuters, Stanton Harcourt is within easy reach of the A40, A34, M40 and M4. There are direct rail services into London in one hour 10 minutes from Long Hanborough into Paddington or Oxford Parkway into Marylebone.

Deanfield Homes specialises in small to medium developments in established communities. It has recently completed a number of successful sites in Oxfordshire and is currently selling homes at its Deanfield Park development in Ickford, Buckinghamshire.

To find out more about Deanfields and to register interest in the first homes to be released, visit www.deanfieldhomes.co.uk/deanfields/

September 2021:

Deanfield Homes is celebrating after success at the 2021 Evening Standard New Homes Awards. Our Deanfield Grange development in Shipton-under-Wychwood received a Highly Commended award in the hotly contested Best Small Development category – one of only three sites to receive official recognition in this classification. The win also represents a triumph over competing sites from across London, the Home Counties and the wider South East region.

The leading new homes awards event, now in its 30^th year and back at The Dorchester Hotel on London’s Park Lane, is recognition of the very best in housebuilding, with the results announced in front of the industry’s leading figures. Judging began back in the summer, with an independent panel of property experts and the Evening Standard’s discerning readers deciding who would be crowned worthy winners.

“We knew Deanfield Grange had passed the first round of judging as one of the property experts personally paid a visit to the development. It was then an anxious wait to see if we’d made the short list, and another nervous few hours on the awards day itself,” commented Annette Gaskell, Deanfield Homes’ Sales & Marketing Manager.

“The judging criteria was stringent. We had to make clear to the judges how Deanfield Grange created a sense of place and allowed residents to feel part of a community,” adds Annette. “Additional aspects that the judging panel considered included quality of design and finish; utilisation of space and light; value for money; use of materials; energy efficiency; location; environmental positioning; innovation and architecture.”

Deanfield Homes’ Managing Director, Peter Blades, took to the stage to receive the award from host and comedian Jason Manford, and his assistant for the event, Olympic taekwondo gold medallist, Jade Jones OBE.

Our buyers can be reassured that we apply the same design, construction and customer service principles to every development we build, with Deanfield Grange as a blueprint for future success. Discover where we are bringing our award-winning style of housebuilding to next – visit our development page for our current and coming soon developments.

August 2021: Deanfield Homes has been granted planning for its latest Oxfordshire development, “Deanfields” in the picturesque village of Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire.

The 11 acre development, situated in the heart of the village will feature 40 homes which will be constructed to the high standard of workmanship and specification that Deanfield Homes are renowned for. The development will also benefit from over 6 acres of landscaped open space for residents and the wider community to enjoy.

Peter Blades, Managing Director of Deanfield Homes comments, “We are delighted to have been granted planning permission to create this exciting new development in the heart of the sought after village of Stanton Harcourt. The development has been thoughtfully designed to ensure that it complements the existing character of the village and the extensive areas of open space will make this a unique and sought after setting for anyone seeking all the benefits of a new home with the visual appeal of a traditional home in a very well connected yet semi-rural location”.

“The location and style of this development is in keeping with our values of creating homes that integrate well into established communities and are sympathetic to their environment and local architectural styles. Work will commence on site later this summer.”

Located within easy reach of Oxford and Woodstock’s Blenheim Palace, Stanton Harcourt is renowned for its stunning countryside and walks. The village has a pub, village shop and post office, village hall, cricket club and St Michael’s Church dating back to the Norman era. There is also an outstanding rated Ofsted primary school.

Just a short drive away is the village of Eynsham which offers several pubs, cafes and restaurants, doctors surgery, fitness club and Bartholomew Secondary School. Witney is less than six miles with further attractions and facilities including a Sainsburys and Waitrose store.

Ideally located for the best of both worlds, Stanton Harcourt is within easy reach of the A40, A34, M40 and M4 and there is a mainline railway station at Long Hanborough, offering regular and direct services to London Paddington.

Deanfield Homes is an experienced housebuilder specialising in small to medium sized residential developments. It has recently completed a number of successful developments in Oxfordshire and is currently selling homes on its latest developments at Deanfield Place, in Cholsey, Oxfordshire and Deanfield View in Marsh Gibbon, Buckinghamshire. Construction has also started at Deanfield Park, Ickford in Buckinghamshire.

August 2021: Children from Marsh Gibbon Primary School experienced for themselves a real life construction site when they visited Deanfield Homes’ Deanfield View development recently for a construction lesson.

The children from Year 4 and 5 were divided into groups and donned hard hats and a high vis jacket to really feel the part. Contracts Manager, Steve and Site Manager Mark spent time chatting to the children explaining how a house is built and also the importance of being safe on or near a construction site.

Paul Alford, Headteacher of Marsh Gibbon Primary School said,

“Our Hedgehog Class and Fox Class had a very interesting trip to the Deanfield Homes site. The children had an extremely informative tour and thoroughly enjoyed learning about how a house is built. They especially enjoyed watching Simon the forklift driver demonstrating what the forklift could do! “I couldn’t believe how far it could extend,” one child commented.  A huge thank you to Deanfield Homes for organising this amazing event.”

As well as the site visit, Deanfield Homes also held a drawing competition and asked the children to create a picture of what they think a construction site looks like. The entries were so colourful and creative and judging was a really hard task. Eventually the winners were chosen – Clementine in Year 4 and Tobias in Year 5.

Deanfield Homes donated £25 Amazon vouchers to each of the winners and a further £50 donation to the school. The children also went home with a Deanfield Homes pad and pen which they loved.

Annette Gaskell, Sales and Marketing Manager for Deanfield Homes comments, “We had a really wonderful time with the children from Marsh Gibbon Primary School and it was great to see their interest in everything that happens on a construction site. Engaging with the local community where we build our developments is extremely important to us and we are really pleased that we were able to spend time giving the children a tour of the site as well as explaining how to stay safe near a building site.

“Judging the drawing competition was also particularly hard and I would like to thank all the children for their wonderful entries.”

Off plan demand is extremely high for the homes at Deanfield View with all the homes now reserved. The development will feature 10, two, three and four bedroom homes as well as a brand new village shop to serve the local community, with the homes being ready for occupation in the Winter 2021.

Deanfield View sits in the heart of the picturesque village of Marsh Gibbon, which is approximately four miles east of Bicester and 11 miles north west of Aylesbury. It is also conveniently located with good commuter links to junction 9 of the M40 and Bicester North and Bicester Village train stations, with connections to Oxford, London Marylebone and Birmingham.

Deanfield Homes is an experienced housebuilder specialising in small to medium sized residential developments in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. It is committed to building new homes that integrate into established communities, which are sympathetic to the environment and local architectural styles. With high quality workmanship and specification, every Deanfield home is built with passion, the result being a home that anyone would be proud to call their own.