After a lonely COVID lockdown spent raising their first child without nearby support, one family has found the community they’ve longed for — and the perfect place to welcome their second child — at Harron Homes’ Sandlands Park development in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire.
Now raising their two daughters – Thea, aged four, and Lyra, aged six months — just minutes from friends and family, Max and Hayley Wheat are part of a thriving, close-knit community.
“We were living in Clipstone when the pandemic hit, and with a newborn in the house and no family nearby, we found ourselves completely isolated,” said Max, an Area Sales Manager for a flooring manufacturer. “When we discovered a few years later we were pregnant with Lyra, we knew we needed to make a change and find a home that was more family friendly and closer to our loved ones.”
The estate is filled with green spaces, including a park that stretches along the back of the development, which is a favourite with the Wheats’ eldest daughter, Thea. Just a short walk away are local cafés, pubs, and a leisure centre where Thea now enjoys her swimming lessons.
The Wheats now live just around the corner from Hayley’s sister, and her best friend is nearby, with Max’s lifelong schoolmate also living on the same development. “There’s an amazing sense of community here,” said Hayley, Head of People and Culture for a Multi Academy Trust. “We feel like we belong here.”
Even before they moved in, Max and Hayley were confident about what Harron Homes would deliver. “We’d been looked after by one of the site managers, Wayne, at a previous housing development,” said Hayley. “That gave us so much reassurance. We knew things would be done to a high standard and they were.”
The family briefly thought they had missed out on their dream plot, but fate had other plans. “It came back on the market just as we decided to reduce the price of our old house to get it sold. It honestly felt like it was meant to be,” Max added. “We’d struggled to get viewings, but the day after deciding to take the house off the market, we got an offer. Then the Naunton plot became available again, and Julie at the sales office really went the extra mile for us to make sure everything worked out.”
The layout of the Naunton has impressed the family. “It’s so well thought-out,” said Max. “Our old house had loads of wasted space in hallways and landings. Here, the rooms are bigger and more usable, especially the lounge and kitchen-diner.”
Since moving in, the Wheats have made the house their own with custom storage, landscaped gardens, and thoughtful touches throughout. With Max’s background in flooring, that’s next on the list.
Natalie Griffiths, Sales and Marketing Director at Harron Homes North Midlands, said:
“For Harron Homes, families like the Wheats represent exactly what Sandlands Park is all about, creating homes in locations that support real life, where neighbours become friends, and children can grow up in safe, connected environments.
“It’s been wonderful to welcome Max, Hayley, and their daughters to Sandlands Park. Developments like this are communities in the truest sense. We’re proud to create homes where families can grow and thrive.”
Sandlands Park offers a range of two to five-bedroom homes in a family-friendly location at Lovesey Avenue, Hucknall, NG15 6XA. Prices start at £368,000. To learn more, visit https://www.harronhomes.com/find-a-home/nottinghamshire/sandlands-park-4/ or call the sales office on 01156 762921.