Explore this Charming Custom Build Home in the Lake District National Park

For Kevin and Lynn Thomas, Wellbank Park in Bootle offered the chance to build their own forever home in the Lake District, on the kind of generous plot they could hardly have imagined securing in a National Park setting. “Wellbank gave us total flexibility and the platform to build the house we really wanted,” says Kevin.

A different kind of development

The couple’s first visit to Wellbank changed the way they looked at more standard developments. What might once have felt like a straightforward route to a new home now seemed much less appealing, as they found when returning to one housebuilder estate. “As soon as I walked onto it, I knew I didn’t want to be on a development with hundreds of houses that all looked the same,” says Lynn.

That says a lot about Wellbank’s appeal. The couple were drawn to the spacing between homes, large plots (theirs is 1,000 m²) and the fact each house would have its own identity. As Kevin puts it, they didn’t want a place that felt “rinse and repeat.”

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The couple were drawn to the spacing between homes at Wellbank Park, the large plots and the fact each house would have its own identity

They were also taken by the wider focus on landscape, sustainability and community, rather than simply fitting in as many houses as possible. The central green space already gives Wellbank a very different feel to a typical development, with an upcoming community hub set to further reinforce that sense of place. This is reflected in local support for the scheme, and the fact two nearby households are preparing to begin their own builds.

Freedom to go your own way

One of the strengths of the Wellbank model is that buyers are not boxed into a single route: they can adapt a suggested design, or start from scratch with something bespoke. Kevin and Lynn took the first approach, using one of the existing concepts as a springboard. “We then adapted it according to what we wanted in our home,” says Kevin.

The design code at Wellbank Park allows real design freedom – enabling a wow factor combination of render, timber cladding and feature glazing

This was about much more than choosing finishes or making minor layout tweaks. The design evolved around their priorities and how they wanted to live – while respecting the site-wide design code. The couple found this framework broad enough to support a very personal result, with requirements such as slate roofing, a heat pump and EV charging already aligned with what they wanted.

Removing some of the early barriers

Wellbank Park also appealed for practical reasons. With serviced plots and an agreed planning framework already in place, Kevin and Lynn were able to focus on the house itself rather than early hurdles. “I think custom build speeds everything up because planning is essentially already agreed – as long as you design within the code, you don’t have that wait for the plans to be approved.”

Just as important was the support they received from Wellbank Park, together with Fleming Homes and Clear Developments. If something needed to change, the reasoning was properly explained – whether regulations, buildability, cost or other knock-on effects – making the process feel more collaborative.

The staircase, with its stunning double galleried landing, was a key design feature – and one that went through multiple design iterations

Designing a home around daily life

What really shaped the finished house was the care Kevin and Lynn took at design stage, working through how each space would function. “We’ve got exactly what we envisaged,” says Kevin. “That was down to the time put in up front, thinking about every single room and what we wanted from it.” This approach runs through the whole project – from the upstairs lounge capturing views of the Western Fells to the generous rooms, layout planned around remote working and family visits, and downstairs bedroom that adds flexibility for later life.

Performance mattered, too. High levels of insulation, triple glazing, a heat pump and underfloor heating ensured an A rating on the EPC. The result is a house that feels every bit as solid and comfortable as they’d hoped.

Staying close to the build

This was still a real build with real-world demands. As they were living 300 miles away in Oxfordshire, the Thomases travelled north every two weeks to review progress and catch issues early. “It’s essential to keep on top of the project and make sure things are going how you want them to go,” says Kevin.

Kevin and Lynn designed the spaces around exactly how they wanted to live – from functionality to light levels, views and more

Yes, there were challenges along the way – some of the plumbers’ work had to be redone, for instance – but Lynn is positive about the process. “The support we got from site owners, Janet and David Nuttall, plus custom build partner Joe Higginson, made it a much less stressful experience than I’d expected.” The Thomases still had to stay engaged, but they never felt like they were navigating the build without expert backup.

More than just the house

Since moving into their new home in November 2024, what they talk about most is not the technical spec or the finish. It’s the change in their day-to-day life. “We feel a lot more relaxed,” says Lynn. That sense of ease stems from enjoying the landscape and slower pace they wanted, as well as a home that works properly for them. They can take in views, work remotely thanks to full-fibre broadband, and host family comfortably. Nearby Bootle offers everyday amenities – including a school, GP surgery, shop, cafe and train station.

They are equally positive about the feel of the development. Because the site has grown gradually rather than filling up all at once, Kevin believes it has been easier for relationships between neighbours to form naturally. “The community is building really well because, as the houses are completed at a slower rate, you get to know those people,” he says.

That may be the clearest takeaway from Kevin and Lynn’s project: custom build at Wellbank Park is about creating a home that’s rooted in exactly how you want to live. By the time the house was finished, Joe Higginson – with whom the couple shared a running joke about the number of design iterations they’d worked through – walked in and said “you’ve absolutely nailed this.” As Kevin puts it, the supported process enabled them to “live the house before actually living in it.”