The whole Garden City concept dates back more than a century, with Letchworth being the very first Garden City to be built in England. Letchworth was designed at a time when the horse and cart were the main forms of transport on the road, and most workers would walk to their place of employment.
But even today, with our new style of 21st Century employment, Letchworth offers urban workers an affordable, larger place to live that is still within easy striking distance of London city centre.
Letchworth Garden City has a list of Homes of Special Interest that covers some of the earliest homes built within Letchworth. These original homes are now considered to be of significant historical and architectural merit. If you are lucky enough to buy one, you will need to stick to the original Design Principles that help to preserve their special character.
This will affect what changes you can make to your home. However, the local Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation can provide all the help you need if you buy an original home and want to make changes.
A mix of traditional and modern homes
As Letchworth Garden City has continued to grow over the years, more modern homes are available that differ in style and character from the original houses. Letchworth houses have now been defined into two separate groups; the Heritage Character Area and the Modern Character Area.
When looking for a house to buy in Letchworth, the place you choose will fall into either one of these categories. Which category your home will fall into is based on more than the age of the property. While you may buy a home with all the same characteristics and style as an original house, it may fall into a different Character Area because of where it sits in the town, the materials used during construction, and more.
With over 1,700 Homes of Special Interest on the list, you have a good chance of buying one of the original homes built during the garden city’s foundation and can benefit from many of its exceptional design attributes.
Why should I buy a property in Letchworth?
To put it simply, Letchworth is ideal for a London commute for work or pleasure and is a great place to live if you want a perfect mix of town and country life away from the hustle and bustle of a crowded city.
Sadly, London house prices are out of reach of most city workers looking to put down roots to raise a family. But because Letchworth is within easy commuting distance of the city, families that cannot afford to live in London can still find it easy to work and socialise in the city as much as they like, and still have an affordable home on the outskirts of the capital.
Buying a property in Letchworth can give you a better quality of life and space to breathe and relax after a stressful week working in the city. Not all commuter towns are the same as Letchworth, and
it is fair to say that the garden city appeals to people wanting to start a family and raise their children in an environment that offers plenty of fresh air and open green spaces.
If the idea of moving to Letchworth sounds appealing to you, why not contact our friendly team at Leysbrook to help you find your new family home in Letchworth.