‘Colour wasn’t ON THE CARDS’

Once our second son, Arlo, had arrived, Peter and I knew we’d simply outgrown our two-bedroom flat,’ says Lydia. ‘We were keen to put down roots somewhere, so we wouldn’t need to move again in a few years, and we were hoping to find a brand-new house with a garden.

Our flat was a new build, too, which we’d bought off-plan, so we weren’t worried about choosing a property we’d never actually seen. Also, a house that didn’t need repairs or alterations, and where everything would be pristine, was very appealing to us.

New build dreams

There is plenty of new housing going up in this area, but