To market, to market
Proximity to good shopping is a real plus when looking for the perfect home. Anna Bowden has a browse at what’s available.
With today’s fast, demanding pace of life, convenient access to shopping is high on the list of must-haves when we search for a home. Throughout London and the South East there are new properties for sale that are well placed for both retail extravaganzas and everyday necessities.
An excellent example is Waterstone Park, Countryside Properties’ stunning new development near Stone Castle in Dartford, Kent. This collection of over 200 homes is within a stone’s throw of Bluewater shopping centre, a huge complex of 320 shops and department stores plus restaurants, cafés and bars and a 12-screen cinema, conveniently located just off the A2.
Homes at Waterstone Park have been extremely popular so far and over 70 per cent are now sold. Currently remaining properties include a handful of two-bedroom apartments in the new phase, a scheme of just 12 contemporary two-bedroom apartments and one two-bedroom duplex apartment set within an outstanding new community close to the Thames Estuary.
Centrally located for direct access to London, Essex and the channel ports, Waterstone Park offers excellent investor and first-time buyer packages for these stunning apartments, which are close to some of England’s finest countryside.
The development is excellent for commuters; Greenhithe station allows fast and frequent services into Dartford, London Bridge, London Waterloo and London Charing Cross (within 40–50 minutes). The new Channel Tunnel international terminal is less than five miles away and the A2 offers access to the M25 and M20 motorways.
Prices at Waterstone Park start from £177,500. For further information or to register interest call 01322 386593.
Tempus Meridien by Berkeley Homes is another development with excellent access to shopping facilities; both the fabulous food stalls of Borough Market and the clothes and CDs of Oxford Street, the latter accessible via the Jubilee Line from nearby London Bridge station. The development, a stunning conversion of a period warehouse near Shad Thames – and the only such development in the area with direct river frontage – consists of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments offering a combination of differing internal layouts to enhance choice. Tempus Meridien also features a landscaped garden for the private use of residents.
Each home will benefit from light and spacious interiors to create a tranquil, relaxing environment. Apartments are high-specification, boasting kitchens fully fitted with integrated AEG and Electrolux appliances, including oven, fridge/freezer, microwave, dishwasher and washer/dryer. Bathrooms feature Villeroy & Boch sanitaryware and showers by Hans Grohe, and all master bedrooms benefit from en suite facilities.
All homes are also installed with pre-wiring for communication, including satellite/TV/FM points in the living rooms and bedrooms as well as internet access and telephone points in home office areas.
Transport-wise the development is ideal, with nearby London Bridge station offering access to the Jubilee and Northern Lines as well as mainline rail services; and river taxis leave the pier every 20 minutes. Prices at Tempus Meridien start from £250,000 for a one-bedroom apartment. Call 01732 227666 to find out more.
The Crescent is a smart development by Fairview New Homes, located on the banks of the Medway in Maidstone, Kent, and comprising 230 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and two- and three-bedroom duplex apartments. Maidstone is currently undergoing massive regeneration which will, when complete, provide the town with over 600 new homes (including those at The Crescent), a hotel, a new train station at Maidstone East, a central business centre, a brand new riverside walk and a £100 million, 350,000 sq ft shopping centre called Fremlin Walk.
David Reed, marketing manager at Fairview New Homes, comments, ‘Maidstone’s redevelopment will ensure that, along with regenerated areas such as Bromley and Canterbury, Maidstone will become one of Kent’s top towns to live in. Along with Fremlin Walk, The Crescent will contribute to making this section of the river a smart and sought-after residential area, offering buyers a stylish selection of waterfront homes as well as a wide variety of facilities, restaurants and bars.’
The Crescent has been designed in the shape of a horseshoe and the homes will offer a variety of styles to suit a range of tastes and requirements. The studio apartments feature a living room, a sleeping area, a kitchen, a bathroom and a linen cupboard, while some of the one-bedroom apartments also comprise extra storage space and open-plan kitchens/living rooms. In some of the two-bedroom homes, master bedrooms have en suite facilities while the three-bedroom duplexes boast smart mezzanine galleries. Many of the new homes will also offer spectacular river views.
Located 37 miles from London and approximately 20 miles from Ashford International station, Maidstone has excellent communication links by both road and rail. The nearby M20 offers convenient access to the M25 and the town is serviced by two mainline stations. Maidstone East offers services both to Ashford International and London Victoria stations, with respective journey times of 20 minutes and one hour.
One-bedroom apartments are now available at The Crescent, starting in price from £154,250. Fairview is also offering £5,000 deposit paid on selected plots. For sales enquiries call 01622 754950 or visit website fairview.co.uk.
KingsOak’s development Blake’s Quay in Reading, Berkshire, is ideally located within easy walking distance of the renowned Oracle shopping centre, famed for its wealth of superb shops and boasting all the high street names, including Kookai, as well as smaller boutique stores and huge department stores, including House of Fraser and Debenhams.
Blake’s Quay enjoys a superior setting overlooking the River Kennet while also boasting proximity to the town centre. And for commuters Reading itself is perfect; London is within 30 minutes by train and the M4 is nearby, opening up both South Wales and south-west London.
The development itself is a prestigious collection of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments offering stylish design and a high specification as standard, to fulfil the requirements of the modern lifestyle. Living accommodation includes fully fitted kitchens with oven, hob and hood and washer/dryer; stylish living/dining rooms that, in many cases, open onto a balcony; and an en suite shower room in many apartments. There is also a residents-only fitness room and private gated parking.
Prices at Blake’s Quay start from £334,995 for a two-bedroom apartment. Call 0118 959 1514 to register interest, arrange a viewing or obtain further information.
Barratt Homes is now offering its eagerly awaited Visage development in Swiss Cottage, London, an exclusive collection of 131 one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments, duplexes and penthouses arranged over 11 floors of stunning architecture.
All apartments benefit from a cutting edge specification, with many offering some of the best views of the London skyline, looking out over Primrose Hill and Regent's Park. Further lifestyle enhancements include a 24-hour concierge service and underground parking, and residents can even join a tailored lifestyle management scheme to look after their every need, from booking theatre tickets to arranging catering and a butler for a special evening in their new exclusive apartment.
Prices at Visage range from £409,995 to £1,300,000. To find out more call the sales centre on 020 7586 7577.
Bryant Homes is offering Ninety Park Lane in Croydon, Surrey, a development that will, when complete, provide a total of 44 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and duplexes. These homes are proving popular with investment buyers, says John Inglis, Bryant Homes’ regional sales and marketing director. ‘Investors recognise that all the benefits of central London are close by, but without the premium prices and rents.’
The development is superbly located for Croydon’s excellent shopping facilities. The Whitgift Centre offers practically every high street store you could imagine, including a huge Waterstone’s, Sainsbury’s and Allders and a vast range of shops selling everything from fountain pens to tropical fish; and there are numerous other boutiques and shops within the pedestrian zone and along the high street.
Ninety Park Lane also boasts fantastic transport options practically on the doorstep; access to a 24-hour train service into central London is less than a mile away at East Croydon station, while Brighton and Gatwick Airport are also extremely easy to get to. Motorists will also find very convenient connections, with access to the national motorway network via the A23, M25 and M23. And there’s no need to leave Croydon to find excellent bars, restaurants, cinemas and nightclubs.
The distinctive exterior of Ninety Park Lane is combined with well-equipped contemporary interiors. Every apartment has a balcony or terrace and there is the security of an audio entryphone system. CAT5e cabling is in place, allowing for adaptable TV, audio and internet connections.
There is currently a variety of two- and three-bedroom apartments and duplexes available at prices ranging from £239,950 to £389,950. For further information call 020 8760 9283 or visit the sales office at 90 Park Lane, Croydon CR1.