New home builders really are spoiling us at the moment with their magnificent selection of apartments on the market. Anna Bowden looks at a few of the must-haves.
Apartments are the bread and butter of new homes, and there are so many different styles, designs and specifications out there that choosing which will suit your needs best can be difficult. We pick a few of the most alluring.
In Woolwich, south-east London, Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward has just launched the much-awaited Alta Vista, the second and final release of apartments, duplexes and penthouses. Alta Vista follows the stunning success of the contemporary Vista Building, where over 150 apartments were sold within just three days of the development’s launch. The new scheme is a landmark ten-storey building which is being converted and refurbished from a commercial office by Kerrington Developments. Located in central Woolwich, the development comprises 224 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments which offer stunning views across the River Thames towards the Millennium Dome and Canary Wharf.
Woolwich is very convenient for Canary Wharf, London City Airport and the rest of Docklands, making it a natural choice for those involved in the ever-growing London business sector. An extension to the Docklands Light Railway will be finished by 2008, providing even better access that includes a quick jump to the Jubilee Line.
The apartments at Alta Vista will have the benefit of parking that is accessible via a sixth-floor walkway, making it unnecessary to go outside to get to the car. There is also a daytime concierge, 24-hour CCTV and lifts serving all floors. The interior design and specification emphasise convenience and luxury. Apartments on the eighth, ninth and tenth floors are now available for sale, priced from £155,000. Contact Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward on 020 8855 8188 or visit altavista-london.com.
Bryant Homes’ The Ambassador is a unique development in Sunningdale, Berkshire, offering luxurious and modern living for the over 50s. A collection of 32 apartments set within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, The Ambassador is a desirable development boasting high-specification apartments set in beautiful landscaped grounds and offering a host of residents’ facilities. The apartments all benefit from secluded gardens and sun terraces set within tree-lined borders.
Life at The Ambassador is made easy for residents by a number of facilities, including twin lifts, on-site concierge, CCTV security system, gated entrance, underground parking and a 24-hour emergency careline facility.
Sunningdale itself is located right on the doorstep of historic Windsor, Eton and Ascot, home to the famous Championship Golf Club and perfect for fun, culture and relaxation. Within easy reach of the M4, M3 and M25, it is also convenient for Heathrow Airport for those who want to spend their retirement travelling.
Currently remaining apartments include four two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments on the top floor at The Ambassador, priced from £340,000, plus one one-bedroom apartment on the first floor, priced at £199,950. The penthouse suite is also available. For further details call the show home on 01344 756834.
Linden Homes Chiltern is celebrating early success at its Suede development in Hillingdon Heath near Hayes, a collection of 36 one- and two-bedroom contemporary designed apartments. The developer has already had four reservations, shortly after launch. Helen Todd, sales and marketing director for Linden, says, ‘We are delighted with this early success, having taken a host of enquiries before the recent launch. The contemporary design, with a mixture of glass, steel, rendering and different shades of bricks, will add to the surrounding architecture, making the development one of the most desirable new addresses in the area.’
Prices at Suede start from £164,500. Call 01895 827400 for more information.
CALA Homes is inviting prospective buyers to visit the show home at Cavendish Court, its collection of 12 apartments in Weybridge, and check out the quality for themselves. The show home, a two-bedroom apartment featuring en suite shower room to the master bedroom plus a fully fitted kitchen, perfectly demonstrates the high-specification, luxury living accommodation that CALA is known for.
Phil Brown, sales and marketing director, commented, ‘The apartments will form the benchmark for luxury and high specification within the area and once people view the show home, with its space and attention to detail, they really will view this as the perfect location.’
Prices at Cavendish Court, which is a ten-minute walk from Weybridge mainline station, start from £340,000. Call 01932 850966.
Also by CALA Homes is luxury Chislehurst development Kemnal Park, where the developer has just launched its second show home, designed by acclaimed interior designer Anna-Maria Douglas of ZI Interiors. Having designed the initial show home with a striking, classical look, in contrast the new show home is bright and contemporary, with a vibrant feel for the spring season.
The two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment boasts a kitchen with granite worktops, a utility room, a steam sauna, en suite bathroom and a main bathroom. According to Douglas, ‘The new show home’s design concept is all about fusion of colour. It is also a very tactile experience with many textured surfaces.’
Kemnal Park is conveniently located close to local amenities, including four private health clubs and ten golf courses. The mainline station is just over a mile away, from where London Bridge can be reached within 22 minutes. Prices at Kemnal Park start from £540,000. Call 020 8295 0922 to find out more.
Conversion and restoration specialist City & Country Group has now started work on the conversion of former flour mill Standon Mill into 18 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in the picturesque Hertfordshire village of Standon. The apartments will be open-plan and contemporary, in a variety of designs, and many will retain original features such as cast iron columns, curved walls, exposed brickwork and floorboards.
Chief executive Tim Sargeant comments, ‘The conversion of Standon Mill is an exciting project for us. Incorporating a highly contemporary design, the new homes will be created in a distinctive ‘London loft’ style, blending an historic structure with modern interiors. Offering flexible living space, curved and glass interior walls, roof top terraces and original features, these new homes will provide purchasers with an unusual converted home in a conservation area.’
Homes at the development are expected to start from around £185,000. Call 01279 817882 to register interest.