Living attainably

Wanting to downsize without leaving the area she had lived in for 57 years, Heather Turner utilised a local planning policy to build a modest, futureproofed home on a shoestring budget

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Heather Turner had lived in a rural cottage in Shropshire for almost six decades. Here, she raised four children with her husband of 57 years, George. Eventually, their kids flew the nest and in 2013, George fell ill. For two years, Heather acted as a full-time carer, not only for George, but for their home and its sprawling garden. "Coping with all the work was very difficult," Heather explains.

Sadly, George passed away in 2015 and Heather gave herself a year to adjust to her new circumstances. "When 2016 came around, I knew it was time to move. I was rattling around in a big house. But it was home and I couldn't bear to leave." One day, Heather considered utilizing the land she already owned. "I thought if I built a place in the garden I could stay, but live somewhere more suited to my needs," she says. Heather soon identified a plot - in a quiet corner of the garden, set back from a country lane.

After making the decision to self-build, Heather subscribed to Homebuilding & Renovating to gather ideas: "I cut out images of properties I liked and created a mood board."

After she'd finished, Heather realized her collage was filled with Border Oak projects, so during a visit to the Homebuilding & Renovating Show at the NEC, Birmingham, she found herself drawn to their stand. "I loved their designs, but I didn't think I could afford one of my own," she explains. Noticing Heather looking unsure, the company's director, Merry Albright, approached her and offered to help.