Three-storey living is seeing a surge in popularity in the east of England as more and more people work from home, according to a local housebuilder. One lasting economic after-effect of the pandemic is that increasing numbers of employees are either choosing to work from home or being required to by their employers. This significant shift towards working from home has resulted in housebuyers prioritising extra space within the house to accommodate that need – and a house with three floors can be the ideal solution.

The recently-formed Vistry Group – which includes Linden Homes, Bovis Homes and Vistry Partnerships – has reported increased interest in three-storey houses across its Eastern division, which is building homes in Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Hertfordshire.

Jason Colmer, sales and marketing director of Vistry Eastern, said: “We are seeing a marked rise in the level of interest in properties with three floors, in particular at Saffron View in Saffron Walden, at Cavendish View in Thurston, near Bury St Edmunds, and at Hanstead Park in Bricket Wood near St Albans.

“Since the lockdown restrictions imposed due to Covid-19, there has been a major shift in the idea of the workplace, with many people reassessing whether they want to work in an office or from home, or a combination of the two.

“The three-storey properties we are building offer homebuyers much more flexible space. A three-bedroom house such as the Elmdon, which is available at Saffron View for example, can accommodate a dedicated place to work if required.

“A large open-plan kitchen/living/dining room occupies the ground floor, which is ideal for day-to-day living, while a spacious bedroom with en-suite shower room spans the entire top floor. The two bedrooms which occupy the first floor can then either both be used as bedrooms, or one transformed into a home office.”

“The range of three-storey four and five-bedroom properties we have at Saffron View, Cavendish View and Hanstead Park are also proving popular. All in all, you can see why people who are now working from home are identifying new-build three-storey homes as the solution to having to provide a ‘work zone’ within their own property. A third floor can give them the flexibility they need to create a home environment to suit their individual lifestyle,” Jason continued.

There’s a choice of three-storey homes available to reserve at Linden Homes’ Saffron View, in Saffron Walden, including the three-bedroom Elmdon, a choice of four-bedroom designs and the five-bedroom Fordham. Prices start from £465,000. Three-storey houses at Cavendish View in Thurston, near Bury St Edmunds include the four-bedroom Aslin and five-bedroom Ripley. Prices here start from £339,995.

Meanwhile, at Hanstead Park in Bricket Wood, near St Albans, the four-bedroom Aslin and Aslin Executive and the five-bedroom Fletcher Executive are available to reserve. Prices for three-storey homes here start from £619,995.