Flats are in and there are a fantastic range of newly built examples on the market, finds Johnny Turner.
A high-quality apartment is a sought-after commodity to today’s buyer, whether they are a first-time buyer or looking to trade up or downsize. Developers are providing an excellent selection of apartments in a variety of locations throughout London and the South East.
In Penn, Buckinghamshire, KingsOak Homes is set to revitalise the popular Tylers Green area with a new scheme of homes on the site of a former home for the elderly. Ashwell Gardens will feature a choice of six particularly large refurbished apartments, complemented by two three-bedroom newly built semi-detached homes and 16 two-bedroom apartments.
As a listed building, the former nursing home will be sympathetically restored by KingsOak using its expertise in the area of brownfield regeneration and listed building refurbishment, says Bob Rutherford, sales director of KingsOak Thames Valley. ‘Ashwell Gardens will give us the opportunity to demonstrate our expertise in the restoration area, as well as create a selection of much-needed homes to satisfy strong buyers demand,’ he says. ‘We anticipate that this new scheme will be very popular.’
Penn is an exclusive Chiltern Hills location near Beaconsfield and Amersham. Popular with commuters for its easy road and rail links to central London, it is a delightful
village location. Register your interest in Ashwell Gardens by calling 01494 818909.
In Ilford, with its lively nightlife, fabulous shopping and convenient transport, young professionals are finding the lifestyle very agreeable. And with Higgins Homes’ Vector, a highly contemporary collection of two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments, buyers are finding the right homes to match the mood.
Vector is located in the centre of everything Ilford offers. Trendy designer shops and more traditional high street names are both within easy striking distance, while the station is a short walk away, meaning it’s not a day’s work getting to work in London and surrounding Essex towns. There is a health club nearby, as well as several good golf courses within driving distance. Culturally, the Kenneth More Theatre hosts a wide range of productions, from panto to opera.
The architecture of Vector is striking, and the modern smartness continues inside. The outside expanses of glass and metal cladding gives way to sleek, contemporary lines accentuated by the stunning kitchens and bathrooms. These homes speak of a modern, comfortable and low-maintenance way of life – perfect for a good balance between work and enjoyment.
Current prices range from £215,000 to £230,000. The sales and marketing suite and show apartment are open daily from 10am to 5pm. Contact 020 8508 6000.
EastSide is a collection of 132 apartments developed by Widacre Homes and Circle 33 Lifespace, offering everything from studios to two-beds, set in a location that is hard to beat in terms of proximity to the City and West End.
And as it is just a short walk from the future site of the Olympic village and stadium, EastSide will also offer further benefits that will accrue from London’s selection as host city: new swimming, cycling and hockey facilities in Stratford (just four minutes away by DLR) and the upgrading of Mile End Stadium. The local economy in Bow is also due to benefit immensely during the run-up to the Games. EastSide also offers that irresistible benefit – very affordable prices. The apartments start at £157,500 for a studio apartment, £179,950 for a one-bedroom apartment and £242,450 for two-bedrooms. For further sales information call Strettons Residential on 020 7422 0989.
Hounslow’s town centre is on the brink of a major reinvention, and Barratt’s Reflexion is set to be a big part of that. Reflexion will contain over 300 new homes, while the proposed Blenheim Centre will bring shops, bars, cafés and restaurants, as well as a cinema. Once completed this will truly be a centre of commerce, entertainment and high-spec living.
The design will be modern and the space light and airy. Many apartments will have balconies giving spectacular views over the Blenheim Centre. And transport is very convenient, with the Piccadilly Line just minutes away putting both central London and Heathrow within easy reach.
Prices currently start at £262,995 for a two-bedroom apartment. The marketing suite is now open. Call 020 8572 3668 to find out more.
Sutton is an extremely well connected location for those who want access to the best the South East has to offer without paying London prices. And Antler Homes’ Christchurch House is ideal for commuters. This collection of nine one- and two-bedroom apartments is ideally located close to Sutton train station.
Set back from a quiet residential road and surrounded by mature trees, Christchurch House has been built in a traditional design, to reflect the local Victorian architecture. The development incorporates communal gardens and each apartment benefits from an allocated parking space for each as well as visitors’ parking spaces. Each apartment offers an open-plan kitchen/reception room featuring a stainless steel gas hob, single oven, integrated fridge freezer, dishwasher and washing machine.
Sutton offers an excellent variety of high street shops in a people-friendly pedestrianised area, including two shopping centres. There are also a number of leisure and entertainment options, including a six-screen cinema complex, a ten-pin bowling centre and a range of pubs, bars and restaurants.
Christchurch House is located less than half a mile from Sutton train station, where direct services travel into London Victoria in less than 30 minutes. The nearby A217 connects Sutton with central London and Junction 8 of the M25.
There are currently two-bedroom apartments available for sale priced from £250,000. The show home is open daily from 10am to 5pm. For further information contact the sales office on 020 8642 6628 or visit antlerhomes.co.uk.
Those for whom only an ultra-central location will do should have a look at the latest project by Modern City Living. The developer is transforming the historic Victorian Costume Warehouse at 9 Macklin Street in Covent Garden, formerly owned by theatre impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh, into a scheme of just seven highly individual apartments. The apartments provide one to three bedrooms and include a duplex and penthouses, complete with entrance lobby, lift access and CCTV security.
Now known as The Costume Warehouse, the four-storey building dates back to the 1870s and was used for storing theatre costumes and providing associated office premises. It has an elegant brick and stone façade with arched windows as well as large industrial warehouse windows. There is stone, tile and brick detailing, completing the authentic picture of Victorian high style.
The warehouse stored and adjusted the magnificent costumes and accessories for some of Mackintosh’s most famous productions, including Miss Saigon, Cats, Oliver!, Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera.
Now Modern City Living is adding an exciting new chapter to the history of the costume warehouse, as it becomes one of the last warehouses in Covent Garden to be converted into apartments. With respect to the building’s history and fine Victorian features, Modern City Living’s skilful refurbishment will see the building retain its historic charm and character.
Many of the building’s original features, including the exposed steel columns, brick features and large windows, have been preserved and incorporated into the new apartments.
The Costume Warehouse provides one one-bedroom duplex, four two-bedroom apartments and two three-bedroom duplex penthouses with private roof terraces.
Each apartment has an individual layout. The one-bedroom duplex has a reception room on the lower floor incorporating a double-height atrium area. On the floor above is a stunning galleried bedroom suite which overlooks the reception area below. The two-bedroom apartments have an open-plan reception room and master bedroom suite with luxurious en suite facilities.
The upper floor of both penthouses is dedicated to living and entertaining with spacious reception, dining and study areas opening onto private rooftop terraces. The kitchen/breakfast area is situated off the dining area. The bedroom suites are on the floor below and two have en suite facilities.
The specification is, as you will imagine, top-of-the-range. Security is high, with dedicated audio/visual door entry system, CCTV security and individual alarm systems to all apartments.
Jeffrey Adams, managing director of Modern City Living comments: ‘These exclusive and select apartments combine history, character and style to provide attractive homes ideal for London living. Macklin Street is an ideal address since it is in between the offices of the City and the leisure provided by the West End.’
For further information on The Costume Warehouse contact EA Shaw on 020 7240 2255 or visit moderncityliving.net.
Another London location with that something extra is Berkeley Homes’ Z Apartments at Aragon Tower in Deptford SE8, where apartments are available for sale through Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward. This development offers a fantastic investment opportunity and properties are already selling quickly off-plan.
Spread over 29 floors, the apartments offer unrivalled dual-aspect views over Greenwich, Canary Wharf and the whole of London, taking in some of the capital's major landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye, the ‘Gherkin' and BT Tower. When complete, the development will offer 144 two-bedroom split-level apartments and 14 two- and three-bedroom penthouses. Each home will also benefit from 24-hour concierge service and CCTV monitoring.
The apartments at Aragon Tower are highly unusual as they are arranged over three different levels, either ascending or descending (the ‘Z’ concept, in which each home is laid out like a Z). Some of the homes laid over three levels can have three different aspects as the levels are not necessarily on top of each other. This split-level design allows greater privacy between the living area and bedrooms, with the bathrooms located conveniently in between.
The homes will feature contemporary Pepper kitchens with white gloss laminate units, stone worktops and ceramic floor tiling. The bathrooms will include Villeroy & Boch suites, Porcelanosa mosaic-style ceramic grey wall tiling and Karndean flooring.
Currently two-bedroom apartments are available for sale, priced from £250,000. For sales information contact Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward on 020 7491 2055.
Apartments have come into their own as a more of us tend to forego the traditional model of ‘settling down’ in their twenties and even thirties, instead choosing to live with friends for as long as possible. Crest Nicholson has responded to this trend by creating two-bedroom apartments at Lancaster Square, its development in Ilford, which features two double bedrooms, perfect for single sharers.
Lancaster Square is ideal for single people who are looking for a home that’s close to all the action. Within easy reach of Ilford’s town centre, it’s also just a short stroll to Seven Kings train station, which provides direct services into London Liverpool Street in around 20 minutes.
The two-bedroom apartments, in common with all the properties at Lancaster Square, feature generously sized rooms with high-quality finishes. While there are several different layouts for the apartments, all feature large living/dining spaces with open-plan kitchens, while many boast built-in wardrobes and even Juliet balconies. The kitchens are fully fitted with Symphony design and boast a range of stainless steel Bosch appliances including single oven, hob and canopy extractor. All bathrooms, en suites and cloakrooms feature Villeroy and Boch sanitary ware complete with Hansgrohe accessories.
Lancaster Square is also ideally placed for car users who can access the M25 – and Lakeside and Bluewater – easily via the nearby A12 and M11. Prices for the two-bedroom apartments start at £187,500. For further information on Lancaster Square contact the sales and marketing suite on 0870 755 1640.
In popular Maidstone, Jones Homes is selling the first release of two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments at Kingsgate, a select development with easy access to the M20 and Maidstone town centre.
Maidstone is a very relaxed, friendly place to live and offers a wealth of leisure pursuits. Set on the River Medway, Maidstone offers a six-mile-long Millennium River Park, which draws thousands of visitors each year. Many choose to reside in Maidstone for its mix of town and country, and for the ability to commute into London yet get away from the hustle and bustle of the capital out of work hours.
Prices start at £200,000. Call 01622 675730 or visit jones-homes.co.uk.