£750 per month

For rent from January to August 2009

A four bedroom maisonette, part of a co-housing community in the greenbelt around the town of Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire at the southern end of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Courtyards Community comprises five households around two open courtyards: one is to the north and the other to the south of number 83. The communal hall is used all year round for monthly meals, fortnightly meetings of the Courtyards directors, communal parties, private parties, a book club, monthly dance: The Wave (inspired by 'five rhythms'), ping-pong and games afternoons. The 8 acres of land are shared by residents. Many people grow their own food. There is a tree house, children's play area, bonfire area and tennis court. Also shared are the hot tub (wood-fuelled), sauna, and a non-heated, open-air swimming pool (built in 2006). With our neighbours at Frankleigh Co-Flats, we publish the regular newsletter, "Flip".

Bradford on Avon station is a 20-minute walk across the fields and connects to Bath Spa in 15 minutes, Bristol Temple Meads in 35 minutes, Weymouth in 1 hour 50 minutes. Bradford on Avon is a former mill-town nestling in the dramatic Avon valley. There is a weekly farmer's market and many good-quality restaurants and pubs. The Georgian Tea Room is well worth trying if you're visiting. The "Cottage Coop" wholefood, fair-trade café is nextdoor to Bishopston Trading (fair-trade clothes). There are a number of local artists. The Wiltshire Music Centre offers a full programme of classical, folk, world music and jazz and is a 20-minute walk across the fields. The annual music festivals at Trowbridge ("The Village Pump festival"), WOMAD, Glastonbury are within easy reach. For theatres, cinema and all the facilities of a big city, Bath is 7 miles away by car or bike.

There is a successful Steiner-based nursery, Hollyhocks. Bradford on Avon has two primary schools and one secondary school. Christchurch Primary School is 15-minutes' walk and offers an excellent and varied range of opportunities in music.

GROUND FLOOR

Entrance

The front door opens off the main communal area, near the shared meeting hall and bike room. There is a small study on the ground floor and space for shoes and boots.

FIRST FLOOR

Access hall/ corridor - 1.7m x 11.7m

Open-plan Kitchen/Lounge - 8.8m x 5.3m

The spectacular hub of the flat combines kitchen, dining room and lounge, amply heated by an impressive, modern wood-burning stove.

Family Bathroom - 2.9m x 2.7m

Large and beautifully-decorated family bathroom incorporates toilet, hand-basin, two heated towel rails and both a curved corner-bath and a shower.

Bedroom 1/ Study - 3.3m x 2.4m

Bedroom 2/ 2nd Study - 3.3m x 2.4m

Double Bedroom/ 3rd Study - 3.3m x 3.2m with ensuite shower room - 3.3m x 1.3m

Two, large windows look out onto the north courtyard and stone archway. Fitted wardrobes are large enough for two people's clothes and all the household bed-linen.

Double Bedroom/ 4th Study - 2.8m x 5.3m

The large, south-facing window looks out onto the oldest part of the house.

Utility room - 1.7m x 2.8m

Fixed shelving, hooks, drawers and washing machine.

Ecological Aspects

• Kitchen worktop made from recycled plastic
• Modern, dual-flush toilets
• Eco-plus patio doors (English-made from English FSC timber)
• Cavity wall insulation
• Double-glazed throughout
• Gas condensing combination boiler
• Extractor fans with integral heat-exchangers in kitchen and main bathroom
• Wood-burning stove

Life at the Courtyards Community

As well as the social activities, the jobs of caring for the grounds and facilities are shared. Each month, residents come together for a work-day and meal. In addition, each adult resident undertakes an average of 1.5 hours per week of work on agreed communal jobs. All adult residents at The Courtyards Community have paid jobs outside the community.

Each Courtyards director pays £50 per month to cover electricity for the pool, repair and replacement of communal tools and unexpected collective purchases (agreed in advance as required). In addition to the rent we ask the tenant to pay our contribution of £100 per month.

If it's that good, why are we leaving!

We've been given a rare opportunity to live and work in Spain as a family. We envisage being away from our home for 1 to 2 years and are therefore seeking tenants on at least two 6-month assured, shorthold tenancies.

Finding out about the Courtyards Community

Please contact Lorraine or Mark to find out more about the flat and the community. We also encourage you to meet the other members of the community. Can you also send in some information about yourself/ your family (no more than 1 side of A4).

Contacting us

Get in touch via e-mail (click on the little link to access it - we're just testing you're human!):

spri...@talktalk.net

or phone us on one of the numbers below.

• 01225 309313 Home
• 07887578859 Lorraine
• 0775 2278999 Mark