Your iAD Agent says —

This is an over 55s apartment in one of the friendliest developments in Cleveleys, and the community is a genuine part of what you're buying. Being on the ground floor, there are no stairs to negotiate at all, which makes it a straightforward home if mobility is a consideration now or might be later. There's a communal lounge with a kitchen, coffee mornings and social activities, laundry rooms on the first and second floors, secure intercom entry and communal gardens, so there's always someone about if you fancy company and your own front door to close when you don't. The location is the other headline. The sea is a five-minute walk — you can be on the promenade with a coffee before the kettle's cooled — and Lidl is around two minutes on foot. The tram stop at the end of the road runs the full coast from Starr Gate to Fleetwood, the health centre and the pharmacy are both within a few minutes' walk, and Cleveleys town centre is ten minutes away along the front. At around 52 sq m the apartment itself is a good size, with proper room for both a sitting area and a dining table. If you want to downsize without giving up independence, convenience or a sea view walk every morning, this is exactly the sort of place that works.

— Yian Phillips, iAD UK

The apartment

At around 52 sq m this is a well-proportioned apartment rather than a compromise. It's presented in good, clean order throughout and is ready to move straight into, and while the decoration and fittings are more traditional than contemporary, that also means there's scope to stamp your own taste on it at your own pace. The entrance hall leads to everything, with a good storage cupboard off it — the sort of space that quietly solves the problem of where the hoover, the suitcase and the Christmas decorations go.

The lounge is the heart of it and it's a generous room, with space for comfortable seating and a proper dining table rather than having to choose between the two. It's the kind of room you can have family round in without anyone perching on the arm of a chair.

The kitchen is a traditional fitted one with a good run of wall and base units and plenty of worktop. It's clean, tidy and perfectly serviceable as it stands, and equally it's an easy room to update to your own taste in time if you'd rather. The double bedroom has fitted wardrobes built in, which keeps the floor space clear and saves buying freestanding furniture. The shower room has a vanity unit and a level walk-in shower rather than a bath to climb into, which is the arrangement most people want at this stage.

Best of all, it's on the ground floor. There are no stairs between the front door of the building and your own, and everything inside is on one level, so coming home with the shopping is straightforward and the apartment stays workable if mobility becomes more of a consideration down the line. For anyone already using a stick, a frame or a wheelchair, a ground floor flat in a lift-served building takes a great deal of daily effort out of the equation.

The development and the community

Sovereign Court is a purpose-built over 55s development of 56 apartments, and it's well run and well kept.

The communal lounge is the centre of things — it has its own kitchen and hosts coffee mornings and social activities through the week. Residents here tend to say the same thing: you're as involved as you want to be. Laundry rooms with washing machines and dryers are provided on the first and second floors, reached by a lift that has its own fold-down seat built in, so there's somewhere to sit on the way up and down. There's also secure intercom entry, a Careline alarm system and communal gardens to sit out in. Parking spaces are available.

It's the balance a lot of people are looking for at this stage — your own independent home, with company on tap downstairs and the reassurance of a managed building around you.

Where it sits

The sea. Around five minutes on foot. Cleveleys has one of the best promenades on this coast — wide, flat, properly resurfaced, with benches the whole way along and miles of level walking in both directions. Terry's ice cream van is usually parked up near the clock shelter, and the views across to the Lake District hills on a clear evening are worth the walk on their own.

Everyday shopping. Lidl on Anchorsholme Lane West is roughly two minutes' walk — close enough that you can pick up a few bits without planning a trip. Cleveleys town centre is about ten minutes on foot or three by tram, with the high street shops, banks, cafés, bakeries and the Wednesday market on the plaza through the summer.

Health and everyday services. Cleveleys Pharmacy on Kelso Avenue is a couple of minutes' walk. The health centre on the same road, home to Cleveleys Group Practice and Crescent Surgery, is around four minutes. Ideal Dental Care on Brighton Avenue is about seven minutes, with further dental practices in Thornton. Having all three within a short flat walk is a genuinely practical advantage of this spot.

Green space. Anchorsholme Park is five minutes away, sitting right behind the sea wall — lawns, gardens, level paths and a café, and one of the nicest places locally to sit out on a warm afternoon.

Trams. The Anchorsholme Lane stop is at the end of the road, two or three minutes' walk. The tramway runs the whole coast from Starr Gate in South Blackpool up through Cleveleys to Fleetwood, every few minutes for most of the day, with level boarding on the newer trams. It's the easiest way to get to Blackpool town centre, the Tower, the illuminations or Fleetwood market without a car — and with a concessionary pass it costs nothing.

Buses. Services run along Victoria Road West and Anchorsholme Lane, linking Cleveleys with Blackpool town centre, Thornton, Poulton-le-Fylde and Fleetwood, with stops a short walk from the door.

Further afield. Poulton-le-Fylde railway station is around twelve minutes by car, with direct trains to Preston and on to Manchester and beyond. Blackpool North station is about fifteen minutes, and the M55 at junction 3 roughly the same, putting the M6 and Preston within easy reach for visiting family.

The numbers

An EPC rating of C is a good showing for an apartment of this age and keeps the running costs down, and council tax is band B. The internal living space is approximately 52 sq m.

Tenure is leasehold. Service charge and ground rent figures will be confirmed in writing before you commit, and your solicitor will verify them as part of the purchase.

Q&A — key buyer answers

Is there an age restriction? Yes — Sovereign Court is an over 55s development. New residents are accepted from 55 years of age.

What's the community like? Sociable and welcoming. There's a communal lounge with a kitchen where coffee mornings and social activities are held, and residents are as involved as they choose to be.

How far is the sea? About five minutes on foot to Cleveleys promenade and the beach, on flat, level pavement the whole way.

Where's the nearest supermarket? Lidl is roughly two minutes' walk on Anchorsholme Lane West. Cleveleys town centre, about ten minutes away, covers everything else.

What about a doctor, dentist and pharmacy? All within a short walk. The pharmacy on Kelso Avenue is a couple of minutes away, the health centre on the same road around four, and the nearest dental practice about seven.

How good are the transport links? Very good. The tram stop is at the end of the road with services the full length of the coast, buses run along Victoria Road West and Anchorsholme Lane, and Poulton-le-Fylde and Blackpool North stations are both a short drive.

Is it suitable if I have limited mobility? Yes. The apartment is on the ground floor with no stairs to reach it and everything on one level inside, and the building is served by a lift with a built-in fold-down seat.

Is there a lift? Yes — a lift serves all floors and has its own fold-down seat, which makes the trip up to the laundry rooms an easy one.

Is there parking? Parking spaces are available at the development.

What are the communal facilities? Communal lounge with kitchen, laundry rooms with washing machines and dryers on the first and second floors, a lift to all floors with a built-in seat, secure intercom entry, Careline alarm system and communal gardens.

Is it leasehold? Yes. The service charge and ground rent will be confirmed in writing, and your legal representative will check the lease terms before exchange.

These particulars are believed to be correct but do not form part of an offer or contract. Measurements, services, appliances and fittings have not been tested and prospective purchasers should satisfy themselves as to their condition and accuracy. Lease length, service charge, ground rent and any age or occupancy restrictions should be confirmed by your legal representative. Some images have been digitally enhanced for presentation.