Former rugby star Anderson Okiwe is first homeowner at Sherwood's newest housing development

Having lived in Southwell for a decade, Anderson and his wife Jane Okiwe were drawn to the new development due to its proximity to amenities, including being walking distance to an outstanding-rated secondary school and two highly rated primary schools.

Anderson said: “Although I am a native of Hampshire and the Dorset Coast, I have lived in Nottingham since the 2000s and moved to Southwell about 10 years ago.

"My previous sports career was the original motivation to move north, and then I met Jane and we settled in Yorkshire for a while before ending up in Southwell.

“I graduated in Nottingham and often visited Southwell because it’s just such a lovely place.

“The people are great and we felt it would be a wonderful environment to raise a family and also be a part of the local community”

Jane said: “We love living in Southwell, it’s an ideal location and great to be a part of thriving, close-knit community.

"We had been looking for the perfect home however, struggled to find the right location as we didn’t want to move from the town, but we needed good transport links for commuting.

“The Rise is close to amenities like my workplace and my son’s school, and major road networks to suit Anderson’s travel requirements.

"Once we visited the development we instantly felt it fit all our criteria, the character the developer has consciously added gives the property more personality than a standard new build, making it feel homely.