How community spirit is blooming on a Newcastle new build estate

There are so many benefits to buying a new build home, reaching far beyond what’s inside its walls. When you move into a brand-new home, you’ll also become part of a brand-new neighbourhood, and have a unique chance to help shape a community from its very beginnings.

At Bellway’s Jameson Manor development in Ponteland, Northumberland, a number of the new residents have formed a thriving community group, which all started with an informal invitation to tidy up a flower bed. The Green Group at Jameson Manor now meets every week to take care of the estate together, from making woodland paths to building bug hotels and maintaining herb gardens – but most importantly, to plant the seeds for lifelong friendships and a community to be proud of.

Planting the seeds for a thriving new community

After noticing that one of the flower beds on the estate was looking overgrown and in need of some TLC, Jameson Manor resident Nigel Harrett sent a message to the neighbourhood WhatsApp group to ask whether anyone could spare an hour on the following Sunday morning to help spruce it up.

What Nigel didn’t expect was such an enthusiastic response from the residents, and as more and more of his neighbours arrived to pitch in, he realised that this could be the start of something wonderful. Shortly after that, the Green Group was formed – although its purpose has since grown well beyond gardening.

“We meet every Sunday since people are keen to be involved in their community,” says Nigel, who is now Chair of the Jameson Manor Green Group. “That’s led to people wanting to go to quiz nights, coffee mornings, and out for meals, plus the big events on the green that are really popular.”

The social aspect of the Green Group has become of great importance to its members, including Neil Makepeace, who is Chair of the Events Group.

“The main thing for me is friendship,” he explains. “I think you get to know people on a new estate fairly quickly as everyone is starting there together, but this has accelerated the idea and made a much wider group, who I’ve got to know and am now very close friends with – to the point where I’ve been on holiday with people I’ve met through the Green Group.

“So, it’s opened my circle of friendships quite a bit, in order to make the flower beds look good!”

The separate Events Group was eventually set up by the Jameson Manor residents, to organise further activities on the estate and raise funds for the Green Group to buy flowers, plants and trees.

Neil tells us, “We initially started off selling bird boxes to raise money for the Green Group, and then decided we would do a Queen’s Jubilee summer party, which had a great turnout. The following year we had a party to celebrate the King’s Coronation, raising a lot of money.”

The impact of the Green Group on the residents themselves cannot be underestimated. For Brenda Hume, who moved to Jameson Manor in June 2023, the Green Group hasn’t just improved the appearance of the estate – it’s also improved her life:

“I’d lost my husband about a year before, having been married for 45 years, so I was always in a couple. But being part of the Green Group has helped me to establish myself as an individual.”

How you can help to create a community on your new build estate

At Bellway, we do more than just build homes – we build communities, on our developments that are designed to bring people together. Every Bellway development is unique and includes features that helps communities to thrive, from open green spaces to children’s play areas.

You can also do your part to support your new community in many ways, both large and small. Here are some ideas to inspire you.

Connect with your neighbours on social media

Even before you move into your new home, you could start making friends with your future neighbours thanks to the power of social media. It’s very common for residents of a new build estate to set up a dedicated Facebook or WhatsApp group to connect with one another, chat and offer advice, and bond over your shared new home journeys.

On Instagram, there is a fantastic and very active community of Bellway homeowners – just take a look at the #mybeautifulbellway hashtag to see tens of thousands of posts, offering you a peek inside real Bellway homes and sharing authentic experiences of the home buying process. You can also explore the dedicated hashtag for your chosen Bellway house type, such as #bellwaytailor or #bellwaychandler, plus your Bellway development hashtag, for example #bellwaybartonquarter. Your soon-to-be neighbours might already be waiting to meet you!

Introduce yourself personally

Once moving day has arrived and you’re settled into your brand-new home, start introducing yourself to your new neighbours. With everyone leading busy lifestyles and on varied schedules, it can be tricky to meet people in person, so you could pop a card through their doors with a short but friendly introduction, plus your house number to help one another put names to faces.

Impress your neighbours with a housewarming party

Nothing beats showing off your new home with a housewarming party, and it’s a great way to build friendships with your neighbours too. Take advantage of warmer weather with laid-back afternoon drinks in the garden, or impress everyone with a cocktail evening and a grazing table in your fabulous new kitchen.

Take advantage of community spaces on your development

Shared community spaces on your development are intended to be used and enjoyed, so make the most of them as often as you can! From informal picnics to garden parties, or celebrations to mark national events, use open green spaces and communal areas on your estate to host get-togethers with your neighbours that will break the ice and help friendships to blossom.

Start your own Green Group

Nothing fosters community spirit like taking pride in your development and working together to make it a lovely place to live. Take inspiration from the residents of Jameson Manor in Ponteland, and start your own version of the Green Group to keep your estate looking beautiful – whether through sharing gardening tasks, organising litter picks, or building resources such as herb gardens or a vegetable patch for everyone to enjoy.

We’d love to see how you are building a community at your new Bellway development, so tag us @bellwayhomes in your Instagram posts and Stories and don’t forget the #mybeautifulbellway hashtag.