Publication Date: 05-08-2025 09:00
Couple with three daughters buy new home to be nearer family and the good schools in Spalding
A couple with three children have relocated to Lincolnshire to be closer to family and to be in a good location for a girls’ grammar school in Spalding.
Tess and Franklin Ilogu have bought a four-bedroom home at Bellway’s Pinchbeck Fields development in Spalding, to give their three daughters – aged seven, three and 22 months – the chance to get into great schools in the area when they are old enough.
The pair decided to make the move from South Yorkshire to Lincolnshire in 2024, to be closer to families in March and Cambridge.
“One of the other major factors was the girls’ education,” said Tess. “We looked at where Bellway were building in Lincolnshire and spotted Pinchbeck Fields in Spalding. That was ideally located because it would put us in a good position for Spalding High School which is a girls’ school that has recently had an outstanding Ofsted report, and other great primary schools in the area.
“Moving to Spalding also meant it would be a much shorter drive to see both my family and Franklin’s relatives.”
Tess, 39, an engineer, and Franklin, a 42-year-old project manager, knew they wanted to buy a Bellway home after visiting friends in Manchester who lived in a new-build property built by the housebuilder.
“We were both very taken with our friends’ home,” said Tess. “The quality of the build was exceptional and the high specification of the finish was impressive. On top of this, our friends could not praise Bellway highly enough for the customer service they had received during the house-buying journey.
“We both said that when it came to purchasing a new home, we would definitely buy a property from Bellway.”
After deciding to make the move, the couple looked at Lincolnshire as a base. The couple visited Pinchbeck Fields and bought a detached four-bedroom Milliner house type.
Tess said: “The sales staff were wonderful, and we got a deal whereby Bellway paid the stamp duty, as well as money towards upgrades on tiling, flooring and kitchen worktops. The construction team were also exceptional in providing as much detail as possible during the building phase.”
Tess, Franklin and their children – ChimChim, seven, SomSom, three, and 22-month-old Zizi – moved into their £345,995 home in December 2024.
“Moving from a three-bedroom house to a four-bedroom house has been brilliant for us,” said Tess. “We work from home most of the time. At the old house, we interchanged between the guest bedroom and the kitchen table.”
“Here we both have taken a bedroom as an office which is a real improvement for us and helps give us both a definite demarcation between our work and family life. Having four bedrooms also gives us the ability to be flexible when the girls grow up and might want a bedroom of their own.
“We absolutely love the open-plan layout downstairs which really suits our lifestyle. It’s great for us all to get together in the kitchen area and there’s enough room in the family space to have a settee and a TV for the children to watch. Across in the living room we have another TV and a settee and chairs where the grown-ups can enjoy their own shows.”
The location of the family’s new home is also bringing benefits.
“I have to work in London sometimes and it usually took more than two hours by train from Doncaster whereas now I go from Peterborough, which takes a little above an hour,” said Tess. “That makes the journey so much easier and gives me more free time on these days.
“We are busy exploring the area and feel lucky to have the excellent Springfields shopping outlet and leisure park here in Spalding. It is fantastic, and we can’t wait to explore other events such as the Flower Parade. Spalding has more than 50 shops and restaurants, the beautiful Festival Gardens and Adventure Land for the children.
“All in all, we are delighted with our new house and being in Spalding – the town we now call home. It’s got everything we want and we are so glad to have put roots down here.”
There’s currently a choice of three and four-bedroom new homes available to reserve at Pinchbeck Fields, with prices starting at £330,000 and £324,950 respectively.
More information can be found at https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/eastern-counties/pinchbeck-fields or by calling the sales team on 01775 350040.
