As the pandemic continues, more and more businesses are either committing to more flexible working arrangements for the long term, or in some cases relinquishing their office leases entirely.
Homeworking on a larger scale is a trend that is likely to continue, regardless of lockdown restrictions being eased. At Cala, we have seen an increase in enquiries from people looking for homes that help facilitate home working, including dedicated home offices, three storey properties with self-contained space on the top floor and integrated supporting modern technology.
At Merlin Gardens within our Hopefield Grange development in Benson, Oxfordshire, the homes are particularly well-equipped for homeworking. For those looking to achieve the perfect work-life balance, the Cala Homes Chiltern team has created some simple home office tips:
- Seek the optimum setting
Where you situate your study will depend on what’s going on in your household during your working day. Do you need a ground floor bolthole with frequent access to the front door for deliveries or, when permitted, work-related visitors? Or will a top floor retreat be needed to separate you from young children playing downstairs?
The house types available at Merlin Gardens offer a solution for whatever home arrangement. As an example, the four-bedroom detached Nenhurst offers a dedicated study alongside a kitchen/family room and separate sitting room, all on the ground floor. Whereas the Oatvale (another four-bedroom detached home) offers three-storey living with a top floor study space, complete with adjacent en-suite facilities.
- Get connected
When working from home, there’s nothing more frustrating than dropping out of Zoom meetings due to a poor Wi-Fi connection, or having to constantly move cables around because of an insufficient number of power sockets. Consider what your tech needs are for the perfect set-up.
Within a Cala home, careful thought has been given to the practical aspect of homeworking. Infrastructure for BT Fibre and other providers, coupled with additional Hyperoptic connection, will guarantee great Wi-Fi throughout the home.
In addition, TV and FM/DAB sockets are included as standard within sitting rooms, studies and all bedrooms – and the family rooms of certain plots feature these too. Telephone sockets can be found in sitting rooms, kitchens and studies (where applicable), and also in the smallest bedroom in case you decide to utilise this space as a home office.
- Commute at your convenience
Even if working from home is now the new norm and travelling to different work locations happens less frequently, it’s good to know you can access travel connections easily when needed.
For residents of Merlin Gardens, Cholsey station is under six miles away, from where direct mainline trains to London Paddington arrive in less than an hour, or Oxford in approximately 26 minutes. For other national rail connections, Didcot Parkway provides journey times of 44 minutes to London Paddington and to Oxford in just over 10 minutes.
Or if travelling by car, the A4074 between Reading and Oxford bypasses to the west of Benson and meets the B4009 from Princes Risborough and Watlington, before continuing on towards Abingdon and Oxford. Junction 6 of the M40 is just over eight miles away and for international departures, London Heathrow is a 37-mile drive.
Finding that perfect work and home balance is easy at Merlin Gardens. Benson offers the best of both worlds thanks to its attractive rural setting, running alongside the River Thames. Combined with the village amenities and commuter links that Benson enjoys, these homes allow you to fully embrace the good life and happily declare: “There’s no place like working from home!”
For more information on Hopefield Grange, you can speak to our sales team by calling 01491 454 776. Our sales suites and showhomes are open by appointment only, with social distancing measures in place for the safety of our customers and staff. You can also submit an online enquiry or request a call-back by clicking the links on the development pages at www.cala.co.uk.
