The very desirable counties of East and West Sussex offer a wealth of high-quality newly built property for the discerning buyer. Johnny Turner looks south.
East and West Sussex are rightly lauded for their very inviting mix of natural beauty, commuter connections and charming homes. Buyers who are in the market for a home in the South East would do well to have a look at what’s available near the south coast.
In desirable Chichester, Seaward Homes presents The Wharf, an exclusive collection of highly individual two- and three-bedroom newly built waterside homes and apartments and a choice of warehouse style properties. Together they create an intriguing juxtaposition of highly contemporary designs within a traditional Georgian city. Also in the scheme is a Grade II Listed flint-faced Customs House which is also undergoing extensive renovation and refurbishment by Seaward.
Poised on the edge of the canal basin within yards of the pretty towpath walk, The Wharf is also just a few minutes walk from the centre of town and the Chichester Gate Leisure Complex which features a Cannons Health Club, restaurants, a multi-screen cinema and a hotel. From this position, you can soak up the ever-changing scenery of the waterfront or access the excellent shopping, restaurants, nightlife and transport connections of Chichester within minutes.
Homes at The Wharf are currently priced from £375,000 for a two-bedroom house with additional study/third bedroom. For further information please contact The Wharf on 01243 790 581. The marketing suite and show home are open daily from 10am to 5pm.
Another winning Chichester development is Kestrels Keep, a superb selection of homes in five different styles. The scheme, from George Wimpey Southern, is wonderfully situated for the beautiful, thriving town centre yet still enjoys the quiet countryside surroundings of Donnington, only two miles from the town centre.
Kestrels Keep consists of 34 three-bedroom detached homes which include fully integrated kitchens, en suite to the master bedroom and a garage with parking space. The homes are finished to the absolute highest standard.
Chichester is one of the premier towns on the south coast, a traditional cathedral town boasting a fantastic selection of shops, eateries, bars and entertainment venues. There are good transport links to London and the rest of the south coast.
Prices currently start at £288,000. For more information contact 01243 771572.
Redrow Homes has several high-quality developments in East and West Sussex, offering both apartments and houses. In popular Eastbourne, The Boardwalk now has three superb show apartments, where visitors will find luxury styling in this unbeatable waterside location.
The waterfront development lies at the heart of Sovereign Harbour, a relaxing marina development. The Boardwalk’s individually designed show apartments are all located in the Rapala building, one of six striking structures that make up the development. Rapala has 36 apartments in a stylish mix of one- and two-bedroom designs, including three very special three-bedroom penthouses and one duplex design.
Specification includes designer kitchens, fitted bathrooms and the two- and three-bedroom apartments feature an en suite to the master bedroom. And because of the combination of perfect location and design within Sovereign Harbour, a majority of the homes also enjoy a waterfront view, a feature which has encouraged owner-occupiers, holiday home buyers and investors alike to buy here.
The show apartments are open daily from 10am to 5.30pm. Call 01323 472194.
Also from Redrow is Porterhouse, a new development in wonderfully connected Crawley. The exciting scheme of residential apartments is proving very popular with investment buyers as well as owner-occupiers, both of whom are swayed by the location, just a ten-minute train ride from Gatwick Airport.
Porterhouse will feature a mix of one- and two-bedroom properties in four separate buildings that range from two to six stories. An electronic gated entrance will lead to secure surface and underground parking. Set in Station Hill Road, the development is adjacent to Three Bridges station, which means that besides Gatwick, Brighton and London are extremely easily accessible.
Buyers will be very impressed by the specification on offer. Designed for the modern lifestyle, the apartments will include open-plan living areas and contemporary kitchens featuring downlighters, integrated dishwasher, fridge/freezer and washing machine, plus stainless steel oven, hob, splashback and sink.
Current prices range from £169,000 to £284,000; the first properties will be ready for occupation in June 2006. Call Chris or Clare at Halifax Estate Agents on 01293 523456.
In Hailsham, Redrow Homes is opening a three-bedroom Turner style show home at Millview. This popular house design includes a fitted kitchen/dining room with patio doors on to the garden, as well as a separate lounge and ground-floor cloakroom. The master bedroom includes fitted wardrobes.
All of the homes have Redrow’s Sapphire specification, which includes fitted kitchen with stainless steel oven, hob and chimney-style extractor, plus elegant white bathroom suites with a choice of tilting and complementary chrome-finish fittings, gas central heating and PVCu double glazed windows.
Mill View is situated in Upper Horsebridge Road on the edge of open countryside and about a mile-and-a-half from the centre of Hailsham, which offers all essential shops and services. This East Sussex market town also enjoys good road access via the A22
Besides the Turner design, Millview offers two- and three-bedroom terraced and semi-detached homes as well as three-, four- and five-bedroom detached houses. A selection of two-bedroom homes is due to be released shortly. Prices currently range from £183,950 to £209,950 for a selection of three-bedroom designs. Call 01323 441508 to find out more. And for more information on any of Redrow’s developments across the South East visit redrow.co.uk.
In the sought-after North Laines section of Brighton, George Wimpey is selling properties at The Vibe, a development of high-spec apartments. Such is the demand for this type of well-located and beautifully designed property that only two of its elite third-floor three-bedroom penthouses remain. There are also a limited number of one- and two-bedroom apartments available.
The Vibe is extremely well located for Brighton’s best shopping and is within seven minutes’ walk of the station and ten minutes’ walk of the sea. The properties themselves have the advantage of high-quality ‘extras’ fitted as standard. These include built-in wardrobes to all master bedrooms and fully integrated kitchens with dishwasher, washer/dryer, fridge, freezer, double under-counter oven and four-burner gas hob and extractor hood. Each of the sumptuous penthouses has a private roof terrace.
The Vibe is open seven days a week from 11am to 5pm. For more information call George Wimpey on 0845 676 0155.
Silver Homes offers a magnificent home in the village of Wadhurst, East Sussex, that is nearing completion. Wigram is designed in the Queen Anne style and is approached by a sweeping drive. The property enjoys southerly views over the High Weald, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Accommodation includes living room, dining room, garden room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility, study, cloakroom, en suite to both master bedroom and a second bedroom, family bathroom. There are also independent triple garages, plus a landscaped front garden and extensive rear garden.
The approach is contemporary, with a wealth of stylish work-saving innovations. In the kitchen here are real wood designer units complemented by soft-close drawers, gas lift doors on the wall cabinets, under-unit lighting and luxury polished granite worktops. Siemens integrated appliances include n American-style fridge/freezer with water and ice dispenser, built-in coffee maker and ‘active-clean’ oven.
A second home, of a totally different design but with the same level of space and spec, is also being built in this location. Get a full-colour brochure for both homes by calling Knight Frank on 01892 515035. For more information on the range of beautifully built homes by Silver Homes visit silver-homes.co.uk.
Nearby, in another village location, Oakley New Homes is selling Fairlawn Manor, a one-off bespoke property of immense character. Quality materials, many individually sourced, are combined with the latest technology to create a home that is a perfect blend of classic architecture and state-of-the-art living.
The home is set in its own 0.6-acre plot on a quiet lane leading to the picturesque village of Mayfield, where you will find a good range of shops and amenities. Although quiet, this location is very well connected for commuters. From nearby Wadhurst station it is a one-hour train journey into central London, while drivers will find convenient links to the A21, M25 and other motorway networks approximately eight miles away.
Fairlawn Manor is for sale at a guide price of £1.2 million. For further information contact the sales department at Oakley New Homes on 01732 464044 or visit oakleynewhomes.com.
Crest Nicholson has a good presence in Sussex, with its very successful Bolnore Village development near Haywards Heath. Bolnore Village is a development styled after the traditional English village and offering a wide range of homes, from one- and two-bedroom apartments to three-, four- and five-bedroom houses. Careful planned to incorporate a range of amenities such as a local shop, village hall, social venues and recreational facilities, the development is a unique and very liveable environment.
Currently available homes in the Village Heights section of Bolnore Village include two-bedroom apartments with garage, priced from £199,950, as well as two-, three- and four-bedroom houses, priced from £215,000. In Central Square, apartments with parking start at £199,950, while in Lower Village II there is one remaining four-bedroom house with garage and covered parking, priced at £435,000.
Crest Nicholson is offering some attractive incentive packages at Bolnore Village. Call 01444 440052 or go online to bolnorevillage.com to find out more.
Also in Haywards Heath, Crest Nicholson is selling Princess Mews, a collection of 14 three-bedroom houses that are ideal for young families or professional couples. Situated near the town centre, this development gives residents access to a wide range of amenities, including a shopping centre, a wide range of excellent restaurants, parks and gold courses, the South Downs, and of course the train station.
The houses are finished to an excellent standard, as you would expect from this award-winning developer. Kitchens are fresh and contemporary, with stylish fitted units and integrated appliances including fridge/freezer. Bathrooms and en suites feature elegant white sanitaryware from Roca complemented by polished chrome fittings. Living spaces are bright and airy, extending out to the rear garden via French doors.
Prices at Princess Mews start at £265,000 for a three-bedroom house. For further information call 0870 752 1820 or visit crestnicholson.com.
A further Haywards Heath development is KingsOak’s Wellswood Park, which offers a choice of spacious town houses – ideal for a range of buyers. The accommodation is versatile and the location, just three-quarters of a mile from the town centre.
Prices start at £284,995 for a three-bedroom town house with dressing area, and £289,995 for a four-bedroom town house with garage and parking. Call 01444 473715.
Time is of the essence at CDC2020’s Adurleys development in the beautiful South Downs village of Steyning. With only five apartments remaining, the developer has introduced a package of incentives that bring these desirable homes within reach of a wide range of buyers.
The remaining apartments are priced from £199,950 and have two bedrooms, two bedrooms and a high-quality kitchen. They are ready to move into and include fitted carpets throughout.
Now CDC2020 will pay both the five per cent deposit and the stamp duty – and will also make a contribution to the legal and survey fees.
Steyning is a very desirable village near the South Coast, rural but hardly remote. Brighton is only 14 miles away, while the A24 to Horsham and Worthing and the A283 to Shoreham-by-Sea are easily accessible. There are regular trains from Shoreham station to Gatwick Airport and London Victoria. Call CDC2020 on 01908 817058 or selling agents Churchlands on 01403 220800.
Try Homes offers the last house remaining for sale in the popular Trinity Gardens development on Church Road in Worth. The end terrace three-storey home has an integral garage, formal living room, combined kitchen and dining room with built appliances and a conservator overlooking the garden.
The property is ready to move into and includes curtains, light fittings and landscaped gardens – and as an extra incentive Try Homes will pay the stamp duty. This attractive development is located in a cul-de-sac off a well established residential road, ideal for transport connections.
The home is priced at £339,950. The development is open Saturdays and Sundays. Call 01293 886846 or visit tryhomes.co.uk.