The fresh air of the countryside is all very well but isn’t it great to be right where the action is, asks Anna Bowden.
Much is made of the benefits of living in the countryside, and it cannot be denied that there are many. But there really is nothing quite like being part of a dynamic city environment, surrounded by interesting people, a wealth of employment opportunities and a fantastically varied range of ways to fill your free time. This week we look at some quality accommodation options in London, for those people who want to be part of the bigger picture.
Taylor Woodrow is now offering for sale Bombay Wharf in Old Rotherhithe Village, south-east London. This riverside scheme of 70 loft-style apartments and one house is a gated community created by architect Rolfe Judd from the conversion of 18th- and 19th-century grain stores, the last group of warehouse buildings to be developed within Rotherhithe’s conservation area.
All homes at Bombay Wharf offer light and open interiors, some looking out onto the Thames. Living accommodation is flexible and open plan; kitchens are fully fitted; bathrooms feature classic white sanitaryware and master bedrooms have Tissettenta fitted wardrobes from Italy, with hinged or sliding doors.
Transport links in this area of London are fantastic; the Jubilee Line at Canada Water is within easy walking distance (there are buses too), which is one stop away from Canary Wharf and within 20 minutes of the West End. The East London Line also stops at Canada Water, opening up the City and New Cross/New Cross Gate to make Croydon and the South East accessible. Prices range from £240,000 to £645,000. For further information call selling agent Colliers on 020 7491 9791.
Rydon Homes is seeing great success with its Chaplin Mews development in Kennington, a collection of three ground-floor live/work apartments with mezzanines, nine first- and second-floor apartments and live/work apartments and a single third-floor penthouse, converted from a series of Victorian buildings along with an element of new build. Located close to both Kennington and Oval tube stations, Chaplin Mews boasts convenient living accommodation for those who travel to work as well as those who work from home, allowing residents to enjoy both free time and home life. Prices at Chaplin Mews start from £299,950. For more details call the marketing suite on 020 7820 8603.
Modern City Living is currently offering Garden Walk in Shoreditch, where central and east London meet. This collection of 23 spacious and stylish one- and two-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom penthouse was the recent recipient of the Hotproperty Award 2003 for City Life. These apartments are high-specification and excellent value for money, with research by London Residential Research showing them to boast a higher square footage than most other London flats at similar prices.
Garden Walk is a secure gated development set over seven storeys and features modern industrial-style architecture, with a striking green copper façade, large picture windows, glass fronted balconies, ground up-lighters, art deco ceiling lights and an eight-person lift. The apartments themselves boast tall metal-framed windows with stainless steel balustrades as well as open-plan interiors designed to maximise the use of space and light. Although the development offers residents all the modern conveniences and contemporary living they could possibly wish for, the building itself is sympathetic to the surrounding Victorian and Edwardian warehouses and complements the vibe of the area.
For price information call selling agents DTZ Residential or Copping Joyce on 020 7710 8038 or 020 7288 0330 respectively, or visit website moderncityliving.net.
Countryside Properties and Taylor Woodrow have now launched Parkside, a new phase of development at Greenwich Millennium Village (GMV) following its successful previous launch, Watermark. Parkside is adjacent to the central park area in the heart of the Village and offers a mix of 186 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, houses and penthouses priced from £190,000.
The external design of Parkside is linear, utilising steel, timber and terracotta tiles as well as extensive glazing as its main framing device, and the buildings are set round two enclosed garden courtyards. High-level terraces and private balconies to select apartments ensure that residents can enjoy uninterrupted views over the gardens, the village green and the Ecology Park towards the Thames.
Inside, the apartments are high-specification; sleek fully fitted kitchens boast a range of stainless steel integrated appliances which have low energy consumption in accordance with the sustainable principles at GMV. Hot water and heating are provided by a communal combined heat and power system, which means that apartments don’t need boilers and heat and power are generated with less impact on the environment. Bathrooms include white sanitaryware, maple veneer vanity panels and polished chrome fittings, and all contemporary fittings throughout the apartment are brushed stainless steel.
‘A number of purchasers have been eagerly awaiting the sales launch of Parkside,’ comments Adrian Putman, development director of GMV. ‘They have seen the early plans and recognise that these homes are special. The Parkside apartments are designed to allow the internal layout to change throughout the course of a day – or even the lifetime of the residents’ occupancy. Lifestyle needs change and today it is important that our homes are sufficiently adaptable to cope with this.’
Prices at Parkside start from £199,950 for a one-bedroom apartment. For further information call the information centre on 020 8293 6900.
Fisherking is offering what it calls ‘Bankside Living’ with its range of developments alongside Bankside, an area that runs along the Southwark side of The Thames between Millennium Bridge and London Bridge. Over the past few years this area of London has seen a dramatic rise in popularity and some of the capital’s most notable attractions are situated here, including the London Eye, the Tate Modern, the Globe Theatre, the Millennium Bridge, Southwark Cathedral and Borough Market. The area, however, is not filled with hordes of tourists and at night is largely peaceful and car-free, allowing for a safer, more desirable living environment.
The developments themselves are all designed to offer the purchaser modern, convenient living. Winchester Stables is a small block of six one-bedroom and one to-bedroom apartments on Winchester Walk, on the former site of the Winchester Palace Stables and overlooking Borough Market. Due for completion in May this year, the apartments boast a high-specification including composite marble tiled bathrooms, Starck 3 sanitaryware and contemporary compact kitchens.
Fisherking also offers Victor Wharf, located on Clink Street, one of the district’s most charming and historic streets. The newly-built glass and brick building boasts seven storeys of contemporary and stylish homes, including 13 one- and two-bedroom apartments and a stunning three-bedroom penthouse.
Prices at Victor Wharf start at £355,000 for one-bedroom apartments and £440,000 for two-bedroom apartments. The three-bedroom penthouse is expected to fetch £1.4 million. For further information contact selling agent DTZ Residential on 020 7710 8038.