Downend guidebook

In the second half of the 19th century, the railway and industry brought an influx of people to the rural villages of Downend and Mangotsfield, resulting in a house-building boom to accommodate them.
 
Homebuyers are still drawn to the area, but these days it's the proximity to the M4, the M32 and the Avon Ring Road (A4174) that attracts them.

That's also why the new "mixed-use urban village" of Emersons Green, built on green belt land around Downend and Mangotsfield, has become such a property hotspot.

Downend and Mangotsfield are highly popular with families, with nearly half the population being in the 25 to 44 age bracket, but it's also a favourite with mature residents who can take advantage of the purpose-built retirement flats such as those in Westerleigh Road.

House prices in Downend tend to be just above the average for the region and range from sizeable stone-fronted Victorian properties like those in Overnhill Road to modern developments.

The majority of homes are owner-occupied, detached properties, followed by semi-detached and then terraced.  Smaller houses and affordable one-bedroom flats have made the area appealing to first-time buyers.

Downend's rental market is also strong, particularly in the converted period houses, smaller homes and purpose-built apartments such as the development in Arnold Road.

Development Central

In the immediate vicinity of Downend, the huge The Meadows complex at Siston Common is creating quite a buzz.  This desirable development offers 222 homes ranging from one-to four-bedrooms which come in apartment, detached or three-storey town house form.

Spurred on by the proximity of a popular cycle path, the developers of The Meadows offered a free bike to first-time buyers who reserved a property here - and there were quite a few, due to the competitive pricing of the smaller apartments.
 
Also in the Siston area, the Beaufort Vale development has a range of unusually designed properties with up to six bedrooms; its attractive rural setting combined with close proximity to the Avon Ring Road has proved to be an appealing mix.
 
Between Downend and Emersons Green, Oaklands Court is a traditional-style house which actually consists of apartments with lovely views over Vinney Green, and in Charnhill Drive in Mangotsfield, there is a development featuring two-bedroom apartments and three-and four-bed houses.

Emersons Green

And, of course, there's the new urban village of Emersons Green.  This has proved very popular with young families, professionals and first-time buyers since its first homes were built in the 1990s.

That isn't surprising given what it offers: quiet cul-de-sacs of well-built, modern homes at prices that tend to be a little below the Bristol average.

Additional ingredients you can throw into the mix include the amount of open spaces, the good local facilities and the proximity of principal commuting routes.

As the type of properties being built began to become less weighted towards semi-detached houses, and variety was introduced in terms of style, size and appearance, so more people were attracted to Emersons Green, resulting in its long-standing popularity.