The Herald - The Herald Magazine
THE VOICE OF PROPERTY
VISITORS to Dumfries and Galloway are invariably surprised by all this most southerly part of Scotland has to offer. But you have to go there and I have often thought many people zoom along the M74 and bypass the area, without realising what they’re missing. News from Galbraith that sales through the firm’s Castle Douglas office have risen 23 per cent year-on-year perhaps means I’m wrong and Dumfries and Galloway is not a forgotten outpost.
David Corrie, partner and head of residential sales in the region, says: “There are good levels of demand and buyers are active. The most encouraging aspect of these figures is there has been a steady stream of properties coming to the market – 13 per cent more than at this time in the previous year. This shows people are confident they will achieve a good price.
“The fundamentals that make this region an attractive place to live are strong and include beautiful rural scenery, wonderful coastal areas, great walking, opportunities to sail or enjoy other water sports and attractive towns and villages. There are excellent schools and facilities for families; good road and rail connections to other parts of Scotland and the north of England; and property is relatively affordable compared with other parts of the UK.”
HOMECOMING
MACTAGGART & Mickel was one of the most prolific housebuilders in the pre-war period when Glasgow’s suburbs were being formed – in some areas, such as Newton Mearns, the firm dominated almost exclusively. One of this suburb’s most sought after enclaves is Broom Estate conservation area.
When East Renfrewshire Council recently gave the green light to build on the site of the former Whitecraigs Bowling Club, residents feared it would result in an inappropriate property misfit. Then MacMic bought the site and having originally created the estate, didn’t want to spoil the ambiance.
Broom Grove, its new name, is a boutique development of six homes incorporating the same architecture and hallmarks of the estate. The showpiece is the Pavilion, a one-off five bedroomed bungalow-style home based on the former bowling pavilion MacMic constructed 90 years ago.