You won’t just find luxurious properties but a whole community when you buy a home in one of Renaissance Villages’ developments
With a 2015 report from the Office of National Statistics[i] revealing that those who consider themselves lonely are seven times more likely to report a low life satisfaction, the importance of socialising with friends and family in promoting mental wellbeing is clearly significant.
For those who have had busy careers, necessitating long days in the office and trips abroad, entering retirement can provide the perfect opportunity for spending more time with friends and family, seeking to both strengthen relationships and boost life satisfaction.
Robert, a former chartered quantity surveyor and his wife Jean, who worked as a personal assistant for a preparatory school headmaster, have found a new home at Durrants Village, a new Renaissance Villages development in Faygate, West Sussex, which allows them to socialise easily with family and friends.
The Coxes (pictured above with their pet labrador Amber) purchased a three-bedroom cottage at the development, and now live on the same road as a couple they met in Nigeria in 1962. Having kept in contact throughout the years, Robert and Jean were so impressed with their friends’ new property that they decided to buy one too.
The Coxes have only lost one bedroom in their downsizing move, as it was important for them to find a home big enough to accommodate their four grandchildren. Mrs Cox comments: “We have plenty of bedroom space for our grandchildren to come 
for sleepovers and there is enough room for us to host friends for lunches and dinners.
“Every New Year’s Day we have a tradition of having lunch with the same group of friends. This year, I comfortably catered a lunch for eight in our new cottage.”
A primary reason behind the Coxes’ decision to downsize was that they no longer wanted th responsibility of looking after a big garden. Although they were just looking for a small patio garden, it was important that the property was also suitable as a home for Amber.
Mrs Cox comments: “Our property’s situation on the edge of woodland is ideal for Amber as we have access to lovely walks directly from our property. We had a big garden at our previous home in East Horsley, however, we wanted to make the move to a home in which we wouldn’t have to worry about upkeep and maintenance.”
The clubhouse at the centre of the village offers the ideal venue for Mr and Mrs Cox to have a drink or meal with the new friends they have made in the village and represents a focal point of the new community.
The clubhouse includes a restaurant, snooker room, library, fitness room and pool. A timetable of regular clubs and activities is held here, including painting classes, pilates, bridge afternoons and a snooker club, with residents encouraged to set up their own clubs as and when they want to.[pullquote1 quotes=”left” align=”left” variation=”purple”]We have plenty of bedroom space for our grandchildren to come for sleepovers and there is enough room for us to host friends for lunches and dinners.[/pullquote1]
William Parry, Renaissance Villages Asset Management Executive, comments: “From the first stages of planning, we knew that we wanted the design of Durrants Village to enable the formation of a new community, not just a development. The luxury club house, situated at the centre of the village, is a great space for residents to meet and socialise.
“The clubs and leisure facilities on offer have proven a strong draw for buyers looking for a home from which they can make the most of their retirement.”
Durrants Village is set in 30 acres of private parkland in the hamlet of Faygate, four miles from the market town of Horsham. There are 154 properties, ranging from two-bedroom apartments to three-bedroom cottages. Apartments start from £279,950 and cottages from £399,950. For more details please visit www.durrantsvillage.co.uk or call 01293 851935
