BROOME Manor is one of the most exclusive areas of Swindon and is so popular that many of its residents have lived there for decades.

On the doorstep of Coate Water and Broome Manor Golf Complex, the private area boasts larger than average homes and gardens, nestled within beautifully-kept surroundings.

The area, flanking Broome Manor Lane, broadly splits into two parts: The Gates, which was mainly built in the 1970s, and the older homes at the entrance to the road.

The majority of the six roads making up The Gates were built by developer McLean on former farmland, which was associated with the historic Broome Manor House, once owned by the Goddard family.

Tony Hill, 86, a semi-retired director of Swindon waste firm Hills UK Ltd, moved to a newly built home in Leverton Gate in 1973 and was one of its first residents.

Mr Hill, whose uncle Rowland Hill once rented Broome Manor House to run a dairy farm, oversaw the construction in the 1990s of Lutyens Gate by Hills Homes, which is part of his company.

“It’s just a very nice area housewise,” he said.

“You will not get houses today that have got one third of an acre of land on each.

“Also it has a great location. You have got 10 minutes’ walk in one direction and you are in Coate Water and 20 minutes in the other direction into Old Town, so it’s very convenient for walking.”

Each gate has an associated limited company, controlled by a board of residents, which owns the verges, trees and other shared areas.

The board collects an annual ground rent and maintenance charge, ranging from about £200 to £400, to look after the area, and also regulates the changes which can be made to homes.

Mr Hill said: “I think that the ideas of having this sort of company is to try to keep the Gates in their original styles.

“Obviously the trees have got more mature and we’ve had to have a few thinned out but it looks pretty well the same as it did 30-odd years ago.”

Rina McGarel-Groves moved to Leverton Gate 15 years ago and today organises regular coach trips for people in the area to watch shows, concerts and plays, mostly in London. The mother-of-one, who is also the Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator for the street, said that local community spirit was strong.

“Last winter when we had very bad weather and the drives were frozen, one of the men phoned all the ladies on their own and he went around to see if they wanted any help,” she said.

Coun Fionuala Foley, Swindon Council’s cabinet member for leisure and corporate services, who grew up in The Gates, moved back to Carlton Gate in 1996.

“Carlton Gate is a fantastic place to live. I love my neighbours and there’s a great spirit, whether it’s in the snow helping each other out or taking in a parcel,” she said.

“It’s very peaceful there. You are very close to green open space to go for a walk.”

The other part of Broome Manor, towards the junction with Marlborough Road, comprises mostly semi-detached houses from the 1930s and 1940s.

Concert pianist Paul Turner, the organiser of the Swindon Recital Series, moved in during 2001 and hosts piano lessons in his home.

He said: “We like it here because it’s pretty quiet. Even though we are very close to Marlborough Road we don’t get a huge amount of traffic down Broome Manor itself.

“I use the gym at Broome Manor Golf Club so that’s very convenient for me.

“And we are very lucky we have got nice neighbours.”

A large development, including Marlborough Court, is currently taking place on the land between Broome Manor Lane and the golf complex.

* In A Down Your Way feature on Parks last Thursday, the telephone number given for Kingswood Surgery was incorrect. The correct telephone number is 01793 534699. We apologise for any inconvenience caused to staff and patients.

Meanwhile, in Wednesday’s Down Your Way feature on Wichelstowe, we printed that the new East Wichel Primary School will be built on Croft Sports Site. We have been asked to point out that this is incorrect. The temporary building is currently at Croft Sports Site, but when the new school building opens in September, it will be in East Wichel.