The city lifestyle can take many shapes and take place in many locations, from London’s financial district to a stretch of seafront, to leafy villages-within-cities. Johnny Turner considers some very desirable city addresses currently for sale.
The city lifestyle has a lot to recommend it: convenience for transport, shopping and going out, as well as a more indefinable something, a certain buzz. Choosing to live in a city environment is more popular than ever; even when many are retreating to the suburbs and rural locations, still more are homing in on the hip, happening city.
For those who are buying a home, a more cosmopolitan atmosphere can be a fantastic choice, partly because the city will always be the place to be and is therefore a good investment. So for both the present and the future, the centre of it all makes sense when shopping for property, as the current crop of new homes demonstrates. But what makes a city? There are many definitions based on actual placement, lifestyle and mindset. However you define ‘city’, there are many excellent new developments to choose from in a wonderful selection of areas.
Starting in the centre of Britain’s premier city, London, Cobstar Developments is set to release The Space Works, a collection of live/work homes at Aldgate East, on the City's eastern fringe. Those whose work is important but feel that a long, painful commute is too much to ask will be very interested indeed in these stunning homes, each of which offers the flexibility to work from home. And even those who work in an office in the City will find The Space Works only a short walk from Liverpool Street. Transport to all corners of London is very easily accessed, with three tube stations within 1,000m giving residents a choice of Circle, Metropolitan, Central, Hammersmith & City and District Lines. A thriving after-hours life is also very nearby, with the excellent bars and restaurants of the Brick Lane area just moments from your door.
Each space will feel truly contemporary, with up-to-the-minute design throughout. Most of these apartments have private terraces – and the penthouses will be nothing short of breathtaking. The main rooms to each living space are huge. There are custom-designed, engineered white oiled oak floors, floor-to-ceiling doors throughout, a luxury bathroom with walnut veneer wash stands and tabletop basins, stylish kitchens in which the theme of walnut detail continues. Even the radiators, vertical designer models, speak of cool, high-tech luxury. Low-voltage downlighters complete the look.
The official release date for The Space Works is 18 March. Register your interest by contacting selling agents Bridge Estates on 020 7749 1400 or Hurford Salvi Carr on 020 7791 7071.
Buyers are flocking to one of Britain’s newest cities, Brighton and Hove, to take advantage of the laid-back lifestyle, the proximity to the sea and a choice of fantastic homes. From CDC2020 comes Horizon in Hove, a seafront building located between Carlisle Road and Walsingham Road that is sure to be a hit with buyers. Hove Apartments will be released this spring. Call 0845 850 2020 for more information.
Of course, city living is more than simply a case of geography. As smart apartments in cities such as London become more and more popular, their design is being emulated elsewhere with fantastic results. A case in point is Delph Property Group’s new scheme, Bonhomie Court in Hurst, Berkshire.
Bonhomie Court consists of two- and three-bedroom apartments with all the cutting-edge style of city schemes – and as it is within easy reach of London, you can still enjoy the cosmopolitan lifestyle that the capital offers. The scheme is surrounded by over 3.5 acres of beautifully landscaped, ‘maintenance-free’ garden and has imposing electric gates with a sweeping block-paved driveway. The 22 apartments have a traditional appearance but also incorporate interesting features such as large Elizabethan-style chimneys. Every principal reception room opens on to a patio or balcony with glazed double doors to emphasise space. In the kitchens, granite work surfaces and integrated appliances combine to make a style statement. Security-wise, each apartment features a video entryphone and individual alarm.
Hurst is a charming, picturesque medieval village in the heart of Royal Berkshire with a duck pond and cricket club. It is surrounded by extensive countryside. So if you fancy the city life indoors but prefer a more rustic environment outside, Bonhomie Court will be just right for you.
Only six apartments still remain for sale, priced between £325,000 and £425,000. Find out more by calling the sales office on 0118 934 1058 or visiting the website at bonhomie-court.co.uk.
Hampstead is one of London’s most perennially popular locations, offering the best of every aspect of city life – shopping, dining, green space, transport and much more. Homes in this area are extremely sought-after, so when new homes are being built it is front page news. And with the design and spec on offer in five classically contemporary four-bedroom homes under construction in Oak Hill Park, the competition will be fierce.
Expected to be completed this spring by Regime Property Development, these homes are sumptuous and in keeping with the beautifully designed Ted Levy houses in the area. The leafy surroundings are complemented by the use of timber and interiors offer unusually flexible space. Purchasers will be able to decide for themselves whether a three- or four-bedroom configuration is preferable; the second bedroom in houses one through four could be used instead as a very spacious en suite dressing room.
The large open plan family rooms on the ground floor incorporate Leicht kitchens, individually designed for informal entertaining and family life. More formal living and dining space stretches across the first floor, creating a wide range of exciting opportunities for entertaining at home. Three of the houses offer galleried living and dining areas, with glass balustrades and double-height glass windows which enable the maximum light into the area. Sheets of glass incorporating sliding doors lead on to deck areas.
Smart technology will be incorporated, including under-floor heating throughout, remote controlled mood lighting and fireplaces, as well as audio and suitable wiring for a monitored alarm system.
Prices at Oak Hill Park range from £1.8 million to £2.1 million. For further information contact Regime on 020 7431 0555. Alternatively call selling agents FPDSavills on 020 7472 5000 or Goldschmidt & Howland on 020 7435 4404.
In south London, Nicholas King Homes has launched a new development in Wandsworth of just five luxury four-bedroom town houses. Located in Barmouth Road in this highly regarded residential area, these homes will offer traditional architecture to blend seamlessly with the existing Victorian properties already established in the area. Interiors, by contrast, will be contemporary. Flexible and stylish, these will include well-appointed kitchens with granite work surfaces and a wide range of fully integrated appliances, as well as superb master suites and luxury bathrooms. En suites and family bathrooms will feature Hansgrohe showers and stone shower trays complemented by shower screens in glass and chrome. And those who buy off-plan will have extra options for internal specification that let them have the home of their dreams.
Homes at Wandsworth are expected to start from around £750,000. Find out more or register your interest by calling 01494 811800.
Another type of city life can be found in Britain’s garden cities, the new towns whose ideals and design took root in the early 20th century. In particular, Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire is a very popular new town, and price rises here have shown the area to be a sound investment property-wise as well as a pleasant place to live.
Fairview New Homes now offers Meadow Park, a new development of 42 one- and two-bedroom apartments and 117 three- and four-bedroom houses located just one mile from the centre of Welwyn Garden City. These homes have already shown themselves to be popular with young professionals as well as families. A choice of train services to Moorgate or Cambridge taking less than an hour means buyers at Meadow Park can have experience of two different types of city life in one day. Nearby shopping and leisure activities are very convenient and of high quality, and beautiful open countryside is just minutes away.
Currently there are three- and four-bedroom homes for sale at Meadow Park, priced from approximately £272,450. Call the marketing suite on 01707 332638 for more information.
Also from Fairview, Rose Place is a stylish upcoming development of 47 one- and two-bedroom apartments. With prices starting at just £150,000 for one bedroom, these homes give first-time buyers an ideal opportunity to own a property in the big city without breaking the bank.
Besides the attractive prices, Fairview is also offering purchasers an incentive of up to £5,000 which can be taken as either cashback or as part of their deposit – even more reason for first-time buyers to look towards Deptford. Two-bedroom apartments are priced from £180,000.
Those who enjoy the city lifestyle will be very pleased at the location of Rose Place, as transport connections to the City, Canary Wharf and the West End are extremely convenient. Nearby Greenwich offers a wealth of restaurants, bars, green space and culture – ideal places that cover every leisure pursuit imaginable.
For sales enquiries contact 020 8694 8093. Find out more about any of Fairview’s current developments by visiting fairview.co.uk.