Classic design and well-thought-out space are just two reasons town houses are always in fashion. Johnny Turner takes a tour of some of the most desirable currently on the market.
Today’s home buyer is looking for modern, spacious and flexible accommodation, and town houses are the answer to many a prospective buyer’s prayers. From its roots in the still-popular Georgian architecture, the town house is characterised by elegance in layout and generosity of space. And the town houses that are now being built take these principles and give them a useful 21st-century spin.
All over London and the South East, new town houses are popping up. As families grow and require more legroom, this house type is constantly in demand. When you look at what is available on the new homes market, it is easy to see why.
In Ashford, Kent, Fairview presents Greenacres, a development with something for everyone. Besides an array of smart two-bedroom apartments, there are also 88 three- and four-bedroom town houses.
Surrounded by splendid open spaces, Greenacres provides a backdrop that is perfect for anyone who wants a relaxing living environment which is also extremely well connected for commuting. Leisure options are very plentiful; Ashford boasts very good shopping, restaurants, a multiplex cinema, health clubs and nightlife.
Ashford is famously well connected where transport is concerned. Not only is London easily reached from Ashford station, but its Eurostar connection puts the Continent practically on your doorstep. This is a truly convenient place to live.
Apartments start from as low as £129,950, while the town houses are priced from £244,950 and offer the option of part-exchange. The sales office at Greenacres is open daily 10am to 5pm. Call 01233 627414 for more information.
Down in Sussex, Croudace Homes is selling The Courtyard, where only six Juniper style town houses of the original 24 remain for sale. These Georgian style homes are set within a secure gated development – and the location, with its proximity to the rolling Sussex countryside, Chichester town centre and harbour, is idyllic.
The Juniper is a stylish three-bedroom town house with an internal garage, offering flexible family accommodation spread over three floors. On the ground floor is a generous-sized entrance hall, cloakroom/WC and a kitchen/dining room with plenty of space for informal family dining. Kitchen specification is high, with quality Paula Rose units and contemporary stainless steel AEG integrated appliances, including fridge/freezer, dishwasher, electric oven, gas hob and extractor hood.
On the first floor is the lounge, with large French windows opening on to two Juliet balconies. The master bedroom to the rear has an en suite bathroom and built-in wardrobes.
The second floor is home to the second and third bedrooms, the latter having double roof windows. There is a high-spec family bathroom, as well as a linen cupboard offering practical storage space on the upper landing. The turfed garden to the rear has a secure cycle store.
The Courtyard is located on the sought-after north side of Chichester, just one mile from the station and moments from the area’s best primary school, Jessie Younghusband County Primary.
The prices for the remaining Juniper homes range from £309,950 to £319,950. Call the marketing suite, open daily from 10am to 5pm, on 01243 774597.
Developer Heronsbrook is selling high-spec homes at Charters Gate in highly sought-after Sunningdale, Berkshire, and work has begun on a further site nearby. The four-bedroom show home is a town house which has received the inspiring touch of top designer Susan White.
‘Working in such an area as Sunningdale, I have been constantly aware of the need to inspire luxury and elegance. I have attempted to exceed expectations at Charters Gate by sourcing only the best in design and quality from across Europe.’
A sense of space and light is present throughout the show home, with cream tiling adding cohesion to the décor on the ground floor. The centrepiece of any town house is its stairway, and at the Charters Gate show home the dark wood handrail combined with prints adorning the walls in mirrored frames, creates a dramatic look.
Charters Gate will be an ideal location for any London commuter. The 13 four-bedroom town houses and six two-bedroom apartments are within a secure electronic gated setting and each home is allocated its own parking space or has an integrated garage.
Homes start at £425,000. For further information contact selling agent FPDSavills on 01344 295355.
Quarles Park in Chadwell Heath consists of a number of home types in a beautifully designed environment. The Laing Homes development places emphasis on a combination of the practical and the aesthetic, creating homes and surrounding land that will mature beautifully and add to the quality of life of residents.
There are two distinct phases to Quarles Park: a first phase of two-bedroom houses and four-bedroom town houses, followed by a collection of three- and four-bedroom houses and town houses as well as two-bedroom apartments. Prospective buyers can choose from a range of Homestyle extras, including a full home entertainment system.
The location is ideal. Situated on Grove Road in the heart of Chadwell Heath, the development is convenient for the important things in life. Schools and rail connections are only a half-mile away, while shops are within three-quarters of a mile.
The Lonsdale two-bedroom apartment is priced from £192,950, while the Bosley two-bedroom apartment has an en suite and starts at £203,950. The Munroe three-bedroom terraced house is priced from £249,950. The four-bedroom Townsend town house, meanwhile, features two receptions, a kitchen/diner and an en suite bathroom and is priced from £295,000.
Visit the Townsend show home, open Mondays 10am to 2pm and Tuesdays to Sundays 10am to 5.30pm. Call the sales centre on 020 8586 4091.
Crest Nicholson’s stunning Montague Park scheme will appeal to buyers who want a home that stands out from others in the area. Located in Shinfield, on the outskirts of Reading, Montague Park offers homes that are not only special but also extremely convenient for getting to and from work.
These homes deliver the town house lifestyle with all its advantages. Known for their flexibility and space, homes like the Ruxton at Montague Park give buyers the peace of mind that comes with knowing they inhabit a space that can adapt to changes in their circumstances.
Montague Park features a selection of individually designed two-, three- and four-bedroom homes in a peaceful residential area just off Church Lane. Although the development enjoys an exemplary location close to some of the finest countryside in Royal Berkshire, it is also less than four miles from Reading, a major town that is the subject of massive, widespread regeneration.
Less than a mile and a half from junction 11 of the M4, and only 3.5 miles from Earley station, Shinfield is perfect for commuters who truly want the best of both worlds. Here they can enjoy the dual benefits of commuting quickly and easily to the heart of London while living amidst an intriguing mix of old and new, where town meets country.
The Ruxton town house is priced from £299,950. The sales centre is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Call the development on 0118 988 5704 or selling agent Romans on 0118 936 6602.
Fairclough Homes is selling Viceroy Court in Northwood, Middlesex, a superb Arts and Crafts style development of highly specified apartments and town houses in a unique courtyard setting. The show apartment demonstrate the exceptional specification available, including kitchens with granite worktops and AEG appliances. Town houses at Viceroy Court start at £660,000, while apartments are available from £250,000. Contact the marketing suite on 0845 676 0164.
The award-winning CALA Domus development in the Newhall section of Harlow, Essex offers a mix of superbly designed properties in a location that embodies a sense of community. And as home buyers have picked up on this combination of environment, spec and space, 70 per cent of the homes have already been sold.
The 74 dwellings will include a mix of apartments, maisonettes, linked and detached houses, not to mention the duplex and triplex flats situated in the magnificent Copper Tower. CALA developments are known for their high-quality interiors, and as the new show home demonstrates, CALA Domus is continuing this trend.
The new show home boasts creative use of light, space and bright, elegant colours and is a must-see for house-hunters. Designed by acclaimed interior designer Anna Maria Desogus, the property is bedecked in furniture made from materials which mirror the external architecture; one example is the slate and copper dining table surrounded by quirky red Perspex cube stools.
The show home is situated in a four-storey house which offers four bedrooms, extensive living room, kitchen/dining room, a second-floor bathroom, two en suite bathrooms and a WC on the first floor. The home also offers a private entrance hallway and an additional ground floor room, extensive internal storage space, first floor balcony and car port.
The show home is open seven days a week from 11am to 5pm. Prices for the homes at CALA Domus range from £220,000 to £450,000. Call 0845 300 2490 or visit caladomus.co.uk.