Waterside living is perennially popular for a host of reasons. Anna Bowden picks out the cream of the newly built homes along the Thames.
Waterside living has long been a desirable option – the gentle sound of lapping water is always soothing and to look out of the window onto a broad, open expanse of blue creates an amazing sense of space. The good news is that no longer is this type of living the sole preserve of the wealthy. With a fine attention to the needs of today’s home buyer, new homes developers are building a vast array of reasonably priced properties along or very close to the Thames, perfect for all types of purchaser.
Laing Homes is now offering its Feathers Place development in Greenwich, a superb collection of luxury town houses in a quiet mews just seconds from the river and adjacent to the beautiful Maritime Museum in Greenwich Park. The exclusive collection of just eight four-bedroom town houses and one duplex two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment has been designed to blend in perfectly with the surrounding architecture, with Georgian style brick work, window frames and high ceilings, while remaining highly contemporary on the inside.
The homes at Feathers Place are an excellent specification and an excellent size. Corridors and staircases are wide and the design maximises natural light, so buyers will certainly feel that they are getting a fantastic deal. One of the most impressive aspects of the development, however, is its technology. All homes boast Laing’s pre-wiring system, which is so advanced that owners can dial into it from their mobile phone and request the heating to come on and the kettle to boil!
Homes at Feathers Place start from £445,000 for the apartment and from £795,000 for the town houses. Call 020 8269 2709 for details.
Bellway Homes has now launched Baltic Wharf, a development of 100 two-bedroom apartments in three five-storey buildings in Gravesend, Kent, boasting spectacular views of the river. Water-facing apartments have balconies, offering residents the opportunity to dine outside overlooking the water; and all purchasers will benefit from the development’s proximity to the town centre and its shopping and leisure facilities.
There is a riverside walkway running past Baltic Wharf for those who like to appreciate the outdoors, and for day trips there are regular ferries to Tilbury from the nearby jetty.
Lyn Neale, sales director for Bellway, says, ‘Baltic Wharf is a great development set in a thriving area. Gravesend is the only town centre in Kent located on the Thames and you could say it has been regarded by those in the know as Kent’s best-kept secret.’
For prices call 01474 536050.
St George is seeing success with the first phase of release at its Battersea Reach development in London, where over 70 per cent of the homes have already been sold. Among the few remaining properties are a number of one- and two-bedroom apartments which would be ideal for those looking for a pied à terre out of central London but within easy striking distance of it.
Specification at Battersea Reach is high, with extensive floor-to-ceiling glazing allowing maximum natural light into the building; apartments benefit from private balconies, terraces over river promenades, stunning views and landscaped grounds.
Prices for remaining homes at the development, which all boast 999-year leases, start from £239,950. For further details contact the marketing suite, open Mondays to Fridays from 10am to 8pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 6pm, on 020 7978 4141.