There’s a lot worth looking at in the current crop of south London’s newly built homes. Johnny Turner sees what’s available.
South London offers home buyers a wide variety of very liveable neighbourhoods, from leafy suburbs to more central, urban-feeling environments. In short, the southern half of the capital provides most any kind of lifestyle today’s buyer seeks. And a wealth of high-quality newly built homes makes this region even more appealing.
In charming, up-and-coming Forest Hill, Acorn New Homes announces the opening of a new show home at Laurel Gardens, south-east London’s most exclusive address. The opening celebration will take place on 25 June between 10am and 4pm.
Built in the grounds of the former Christ Church, the homes have the excellent backdrop of a stained glass window of the original 18th-century church and elegant church spire. Each of the six four-bedroom houses features the best in modern specification, which includes solid wood kitchen cabinets, granite work surfaces, solid oak wood flooring and hand-painted finishes.
A balcony from the master bedroom and glass roof that partially covers the living area all add to the true opulence of these magnificent homes. Double doors lead from the lounge and spiral staircase from the kitchen to a private tiered garden overlooking the stunning rear elevation of the church. Boasting one of the highest hills in London, with spectacular views towards central London, beautiful architecture and history, Forest Hill offers a cosmopolitan atmosphere complemented by character and charm, with easy access to all the amenities required for modern living.
Prices start at £499,995. Call Acorn New Homes on 020 8663 4666 to view.
In the lovely, green borough of Merton, on the banks of the River Wandle, Countryside Properties’ Abbey Mills enjoys a unique setting with close proximity to central London. One- and two-bedroom apartments are currently available, ranging from 500 sq ft for a one-bedroom apartment up to a generous 1,150 sq ft in the recently released two-bedroom duplexes. In many of the apartments space is further enhanced by a private balcony or terrace, as well as open-plan living and dining areas.
Abbey Mills has an abundance of facilities right on the doorstep. Just opened within the development is a new Virgin Active Life Centre. It offers a swimming pool and a luxury spa area with hydrotherapy massage pool, solarium, sauna and steam room, in addition to a gym, workout studio and fully licensed café bar. For added convenience for when friends and relatives come to stay, a 132-bed Premier Travel Inn has recently opened.
The renowned Merton Abbey Mills weekend market, with its pretty Grade II listed buildings and famous water mill, is just a few steps away and is perfect for the casual browser. Antiques, books, crafts, clothes and jewellery are all on display and there is a wide range of international food stalls. There is also a farmers market selling organic produce and a wide selection of farmhouse cheeses. On the riverbank, you'll find your new 'local' – the attractive William Morris pub.
Merton is one of the greenest London boroughs and boasts ten recently established nature reserves totalling over 500,000 square metres, as well as a host of parks and recreation grounds. All of this, yet it is under 30 minutes from Waterloo on the Northern Line.
Apartments at Abbey Mills will be ready for occupation this summer, with prices staring at £184,950 for a one-bedroom apartment, £234,950 for a two-bedroom apartment and £314,950 for a two-bedroom duplex apartment. There is also as an added incentive of five per cent deposit available, worth up to £12,000. For more information please contact the Abbey Mills marketing suite on 020 8543 6377 or visit abbeymills.com.
With the All England tennis championships once again in full swing, attention naturally turns to Wimbledon. And as players and fans alike wax rhapsodic over the beauty and wealth of amenities to be found in this corner of south-west London, home buyers are also very impressed with what the area has to offer. Goldcrest Homes’ Lanherne Gate is a good example of the sort of high-quality home on offer in this very sought-after spot. And many of the purchasers at this development are affluent people who are looking to downsize from a larger home, typically £2–3 million home elsewhere in Wimbledon.
Lanherne Gate’s spacious apartments mean downsizing needn’t be drastic; the two/three-bedroom apartments offer up to 1,527 sq ft. And the location, just 15 minutes from Wimbledon Village, is ideal for shopping, dining and a range of leisure pursuits.
Prices start from £350,000 for the one-bedroom bungalow and £425,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. Contact selling agent Quinton Scott on 020 8971 3800 or 020 8971 6780.
Polychrome by Higgins Homes is a vibrant collection of 12 one- and two-bedroom apartments in well-connected Waterloo. The development reflects its urban, innovative location, combining low-rise architecture with influences from the Cubist art movement. Interiors are contemporary and spacious with large open-plan kitchen/living areas. Located under 400 metres from Waterloo International station and close to the abundance of music, fine dining and theatre on the South Bank, Polychrome is the ideal pied-a-terre for commuters and lovers of contemporary urban living.
Prices at Polychrome start at £219,500 for a one-bedroom apartment and £285,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. For further information, please visit higginshomes.co.uk or call 020 8508 6000.
Finally, KingsOak has released the first homes at a brand new scheme in Colliers Wood. Brooklands Park is a superb development of just 26 apartments and houses on the site of a former primary school, and the newly released homes include three- and four-bedroom houses as well as two-bedroom apartments. The homes are located in an attractive setting next to a large area of open space, and the little brook running behind the development gives it its name.
KingsOak is also building similar house types nearby in Hamilton Gate, Morden; those who want to get an idea of the design and quality that is coming to at Brooklands Park should stop buy at Hamilton Gate and take a look. Prices at Brooklands Park currently start at £234,995 for a two-bedroom apartment and £349,995 for a three/four-bedroom three-storey town house. For more information call 020 8685 0773.