Berkshire offers the resident a multitude of benefits, including history, scenery and convenient access to London and the West. Johnny Turner looks at some of the best new homes in this sought-after county.
Those in the market for a home that gives access to both country charm and cosmopolitan bustle will be hard pressed to find a better location than Berkshire. This Home County offers easy commuter access, wonderful countryside and great local amenities – it’s no wonder builders are having trouble keeping up with the high demand for homes in the area.
Foundation Land has launched six sumptuous apartments at Wokingham’s most exclusive development, Gorton Oaks in Murdoch Road, in the heart of the new conservation area. These long-awaited properties offer a sophisticated contemporary specification; apartment two, for example, is a two double bedroom home which includes a welcoming entrance, south-facing drawing/dining room with impressive views of the estate, a spacious home office, and a state-of-the-art kitchen including all integral appliances.
Gorton Oak’s three penthouses will be revealed within the next month and are expected to generate interest amongst property-seekers who are looking for a decadent, chic home in leafy surroundings.
Perfectly situated amid beautifully landscaped grounds the property is located just half a mile from the cosmopolitan market town of Wokingham. With rail and road links on the doorstep to London, Reading and Gatwick, Gorton Oak offers a very tempting alternative to the hustle and bustle of city living.
Apartments are available now, and the show apartment is to be launched soon. For further information on the apartments and launch of the penthouses please contact Richard Worth on 0118 979 6796 or Foundation Land on 0118 912 4444.
Bewley Homes has a strong presence in Reading, with one impressive development launching just as another approaches sell-out. The developer’s latest scheme, Cadugan Place in Addington Road, lies adjacent to the Victorian conservation area with its wide tree-lined avenues and green spaces. Nine apartments occupy the turreted building, flanking a sweeping crescent of 15 four-storey town houses which emulates the unmatched elegance of Georgian street scenes as experienced in Bath and Brighton.
Bewley has had numerous enquiries already on this scheme. Apartments at Cadugan Place are priced from £244,950, while the town houses start at £475,000.
Meanwhile, Parkside Gardens, also a development of town houses and apartments, has only a small number of properties remaining for sale, such is its popularity with buyers. The location is extremely convenient; the station and town centre are within walking distance, making for a simple commute into London Paddington or neighbouring towns. The apartments start at £205,000, while the town houses are priced from £399,000.
Further Bewley sites, located in Caversham and Charvil, make the most of their peaceful village setting. At Abbotsleigh in Caversham the 12 two-, three- and four-bedroom homes are set in an idyllic oasis within a short walk of the village centre and local primary school. These homes are priced from £220,000 to £399,000. Coombe Park comprises 18 two-, three- and four-bedroom houses with secluded private gardens. Its location, in the popular village of Charvil, offers the finest in village life. Charvil has its own village store and post office, while nearby Twyford offers a wider range of shops and facilities as well as a mainline station for a quick journey into Reading. Prices at Coombe Park range from £245,000 to £450,000.
Get more information on any of these developments – and forthcoming schemes as well – by calling Bewley Homes on 0118 970 8200. You may also visit the website at bewley.co.uk.
CALA Homes offers a trio of developments in Berkshire that has already got prospective buyers making a beeline. The design and specification, not to mention the location, are extremely attractive.
Starting in Purley-on-Thames, Oak View offers a wide variety of home types, including four-bedroom semi-detached and detached properties, two- and three-storey houses ranging from 1,452 to 2,082 sq ft, and two-bedroom apartments whose square footage ranges from 667 to 1,076. Typically for CALA, the proximity to good local schools has been a big factor in deciding the location of Oak View. Five of the homes are now occupied and all of the apartments have now been reserved.
Remaining houses are priced from £349,950. Prospective purchasers can view the Oak View show home and visit the sales suite at the development, which is located in Long Lane. Contact the sales suite on 0118 945 3171 or selling agents The Romans Group on 0118 943 9400.
First-time buyers will be interested in CALA’s Wellington Mews, situated in the quaint village of Crowthorne, where spacious apartments are priced from just £159,000. The gated development offers 31 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, featuring secure private parking and mature landscaped gardens.
These contemporary apartments have a high specification including state-of-the-art audio entry systems, electric thermostatically controlled panel heating, stylish bathroom suites and designer kitchens. All apartments have a well-proportioned lounge/dining area with separate kitchen; some benefit from an en suite bathroom and second bathroom.
Crowthorne is blessed with a wonderful village feel and has a variety of shops, restaurants and pubs. CALA is also building a new library facility in the village and contributing to the creation of a new village square near Wellington Mews.
Prices range from £159,000 to £295,000. For further information visit the sales centre, which is located on Heath Hill Road South, or call 01344 773817.
A further CALA development, Warren Glade, is selling very strongly, with the result that only seven apartments, three town houses and one Chalfont cottage remain for sale. The latter home is in fact the show home and is fully kitted out with contemporary furnishings and fittings to give visitors a better ideal of what their dream home can look like. The cottage has two bedrooms plus an extra room which could be used as a nursery, study or third bedroom. Priced at £239,950, the Chalfont would be equally suitable for first-time buyers, downsizers, empty nesters, young families and young professionals.
Warren Glade’s success, according to Philip Brown, sales and marketing director of CALA Homes (South), is down to a few important factors. ‘It is situated in a desirable area in close proximity to good schools, and we have positioned our three-bedroom houses at an affordable price, therefore offering excellent value for money,’ he says. Brown encourages off-plan buying. ‘It is a fantastic option as you have the ability to choose the types of fittings and colour combinations you would like for your new home.’
Warren Glade is situated in the favoured area of North Woodley, bordering Sonning-on-Thames, and has a good community network nearby – schools, local shops, parks and greens, pubs and restaurants. The first residents have moved in, making for a true community spirit.
Prices start from £199,995 for a two-bedroom apartment and £239,950 for a three-bedroom town house. For more information call the sales office on 0118 969 7610 or Wentworth Estate Agents on 0118 969 2999. The show home is located off Warren Road, North Woodley.
Besides natural beauty and convenient connections, Berkshire is known for its industry – and technology is very well represented in the area known as Silicon Valley. The typically Berkshirean combination of lovely surroundings and high-tech opportunities is encapsulated in Heronsbrook Homes’ Fairways House, a collection of just eight two-bedroom luxury apartments (including two penthouses) in lovely Sunningdale.
The exclusive development offers the best of both worlds – traditional external appeal plus up-to-the-minute specification. Typified by the stylish new show apartment, which opens on 12 March, the apartments have sleek contemporary kitchens equipped with a comprehensive range of built-in stainless steel appliances, giving a crisp and professional edge to the design. Spacious master bedroom suites live up to their name and offer ample built-in wardrobe space plus a superbly appointed shower room. Second bedrooms are served by a similarly well-equipped main bathroom.
Each apartment has been discreetly wired for modern technology, whether for home office use of entertainment, while security is enhanced by an audio entry system.
Located in an unrivalled setting in mature wooded grounds, Fairways House represents an unmissable opportunity for stylish living in a particularly sought-after section of Berkshire, with superb road and rail connections as well as local cultural and sporting amenities.
Prices at Fairways House start at £340,000. Register your interest by calling 01344 874548 or contact selling agents Barton Wyatt on 01344 842587. Visit heronsbrook.co.uk.
KingsOak offers well designed homes throughout the Berkshire area, from town centre schemes in buzzing Reading to comfortable and stylish properties in more sedate environments. One current scheme, Charlcot House in Cippenham, specialises in convenient apartments for busy professionals.
Charlcot House features a sleek selection of impressive two-bedroom apartments close to the heart of central Slough, putting residents in close touch with excellent shopping, nightlife and transport connections. For those moments when you want to leave the hectic life behind, the development is also a short distance from the quiet beauty of Burnam Beeches.
The development offers a choice of attractive apartments, all with two double bedrooms as well as a comprehensively fitted kitchen. There is an en suite shower room to the master bedroom and a classic white main bathroom.
Charlcot House is ideal for commuters. From nearby Burnham station you can get to London Paddington in less than half an hour. For motorists, the M4 is nearby which means a direct route into the capital. Leisure pursuits are also well catered for, with gorgeous Windsor Great Park just over four miles away, and a range of fun options in nearby Slough.
Prices start at £194,995 for a two-bedroom apartment. The development is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Call 01628 664513.
Also from KingsOak, Blake’s Quay is a development set on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, which gives it waterside views on two sides. The development will be ideal for a wide range of buyers, including young professionals, investors and older downsizers.
The choice of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and stunning duplexes has come along at the perfect time; the area is undergoing widespread regeneration, including the construction of many new homes, and the already superb leisure and entertainment facilities that are close by are being enhanced by more options all the time.
Prices at Blake’s Quay currently range from £334,995 to £479.995. The sales office is open daily; call 0118 959 1514.
At HighGrove in sought-after Caversham, KingsOak offers spacious town houses just a mile and a half from Reading town centre.
The three-storey homes, with either three or four bedrooms, offer well proportioned interior layouts and have the amount and type of space that’s ideal for family life. The quality specification includes a designer fitted kitchen with integrated stainless steel oven, hob and hood, spacious living/dining room and a garage or private parking. En suite shower rooms, a principle bathroom and downstairs cloakroom feature in every house design. Many house types also benefit from a dressing area to the master bedroom, as well as a utility room and study.
Prices range from £259,995 to £282,995. For more information call 0118 947 7846 or visit kingsoakhomes.com.
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 £274,950. The sales centre is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Call the development on 0118 988 5704.