New Homes - New Homes

As spring draws us outdoors, we see what wonderful outdoor space can do for quality of life. Johnny Turner finds much to admire in the current crop of new homes with access to nature

Outside space can take many forms: private, lush greenery, communal grounds, a cosy patio ideal for dining a deux, local parkland – or any combination of the above. As spring continues its welcome progress, it’s a good time for prospective buyers to look at what’s on the market that offers gardens, nearby countryside or other types of ways of being ‘out there’.
Starting in much-loved Hindhead, Surrey, The Beacon is set within 6.4 acres of beautiful mature landscaped gardens with private parking and tennis courts, and also offers a golfing green. With the exclusivity and privacy of a country estate, this Crest Nicholson development is a new gated collection of stunning apartments set among Surrey’s famous areas of outstanding natural beauty.
The homes have been designed to enhance their beautiful setting. Beyond the development’s wide, sweeping lawns and verdant parkland lay the breathtaking views of the Surrey hills, one of England’s finest landscapes. The development itself is situated on top of Gibbet Hill, the second highest hill in Surrey, affording residents spectacular country views across the Weald and, on a clear day, as far as Canary Wharf.
Residents can also enjoy towering above the impressive Devil’s Punchbowl, a large hollow of dry sandy heath in which, legend has it; the devil spent his time tormenting the God Thor by pelting him with enormous handfuls of earth, leaving the great bowl that exists today.
The quaint village of Hindhead offers a range of local amenities and excellent road links, which will be improved further in 2011 with the construction of the new A3 Hindhead tunnel. The pretty town of Haslemere, with its cobbled streets and selection of eateries, is approximately five miles away. Guildford, 15 miles from the development, offers leisure facilities and an array of restaurants and bars.
Three bedroom apartments are priced from £374,950. For more information on The Beacon contact the sales and marketing suite on 0870 751 0496 or visit crestnicholson.com/thebeacon.
The first collection of apartments has been unveiled at the recent launch of Springhead Park – and with over 100 visitors 12 reservations during that event, it is clear that joint developers Countryside Properties and Land Securities are on to a winner.
Set in the wonderfully connected Ebbsfleet Valley, Springhead Park will provide a mixture of one- and two-bedroom apartments and two-, three- and four-bedroom houses – over 600 homes eventually. The homes will be centred around a large two-and-a-half-acre new formal park known as Penn Green and a new 15-acre park which will run along the edge of development. There will also be a community centre, a place of worship and a doctor’s surgery. A total of around 150 homes will be available through a housing association as affordable homes and will be ‘pepper-potted’ throughout the scheme.
The first 22 apartments were released for sale last month. In total, 179 units will be available in the first phase of development. Residents will benefit from the huge investment and infrastructure improvements that continue to elevate and transform the area. Beautiful Kent countryside is on the doorstep, yet London and beyond are within easy reach via Ebbsfleet International station: indeed, Ebbsfleet will offer a 17-minute connection to St Pancras International station from 2009.
At more than 1,000 acres Ebbsfleet Valley will provide up to 10,000 new homes over the next twenty years, together with employment, retail, leisure and other facilities and will create in the region of 20,000 new jobs and around 400 acres of new parks, lakes, woodland and open space.
Springhead Park will have a clean, modern, yet classic feel to it. A tree-lined boulevard will run through the heart, branching into more intimate residential streets and spaces. At the centre of Springboard Park, the formal Penn Green will be beautifully landscaped focusing on a central plaza with play area. Further recreational space will be provided in a new park running the length of the development; this will include playing fields as well as informal parkland.
Prices at Springhead Park start at £165,000 for a one-bedroom apartment and £195,000 for a two-bedroom apartment; houses will be released in late spring. For further information contact the sales and marketing suite on 01474 335195 or visit springheadpark.co.uk.
At The Heathers in Priory Vale, buyers are able to reserve a home for just £99. Bellway Homes is offering this incentive with first-time buyers in mind. The developer is also offering to pay the 5 per cent deposit and legal fees up to £500.
Bellway Wessex sales director Sandra Barton says, ‘The offer is perfect for first-time buyers who, though in full time employment, find it impossible to save for a deposit and have to live in rented accommodation or at home with their parents. Money that would otherwise be lost in rent can be invested in a home of their own.’
The modern, vibrant site is within easy reach of Swindon town centre, while the new village of Priory Vale has a primary school and the Orbital Shopping Park boasts the largest Asda/Walmart in Europe. There is also a health centre, plus cafés and restaurants and other well-known retailers such as Next. There’s also a nature reserve and a country park and the site is close to the North Swindon Learning Centre.
Swindon town centre is approximately 15 minutes away by road. The area is also well placed for commuters to Reading, London and Bristol, as train journeys to Reading are within half an hour. London Paddington is within an hour and Bristol Temple Meads between 30 and 45 minutes.
There are currently one- and two-bedroom apartments, priced from £109,000. The marketing suite is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Call 01793 729283 or visit bellway.co.uk.
The Thatchams occupies a prominent position within the village of Priors Green, located on the outskirts of the popular village of Little Canfield. Two village ponds front the development and the two, three and four bedroom houses flank tree-lined boulevards. There are also two landscaped children’s play areas at the heart of the development.
Bishop’s Stortford is just over six miles away, with its wide range of high street and boutique shops, cafes, bars and restaurants, as well as excellent local schools. Priors Green is conveniently located just four miles from junction 8 of the M11, which offers access to London in the South and North to Cambridge and beyond. There are regular trains to London Liverpool Street from Bishop’s Stortford train station, taking approximately 43 minutes. London Stansted Airport is just under three miles away.
There are 11 different house types which combine red brickwork, buttermilk rendering, white weather boarding and red clay and grey slate roof tiles – all influenced by the local architectural vernacular. Varied rooflines, bay windows, dormer windows and porches give the development a strong character.
Internally each property has been designed with the buyer in mind. Great emphasis has been placed on creating well proportioned, light and airy living spaces. Houses feature open plan kitchen/breakfast or kitchen/living areas, with doors leading onto a garden. Master bedrooms have either fitted wardrobes or dressing rooms and an en-suite shower or bathroom fitted with sleek white sanitary ware and chrome fixtures and fittings.
Every property at The Thatchams has an EcoHomes rating of Good and incorporates eco-friendly features, including dual flush toilets and water butts in the garden, designed to help residents play their part in preserving the environment without impacting on their daily lives.
Prices at The Thatchams start from £200,000 for a two bedroom house, from £236,000 for a three bedroom house and from £350,000 for a four bedroom house. Contact the marketing suite on 0845 071 2072 or visit thatchams.net.
Bryant Homes’ Childsbridge Farm development in Seal, near Sevenoaks offers the best of both worlds: wonderful village life as well as great commutability.
The development is very convenient for the M25, meaning families and young professionals for whom time is of the essence will benefit greatly. The setting is also calm and picturesque. The development has just 17 three-bedroom homes, all with a distinct barn conversion feel which makes them stand out from similar properties in the area. The development has already seen floods of potential buyers register their interest.
Childsbridge Farm is about a ten-minute drive from Sevenoaks station, which provides services to London Charing Cross in about 35 minutes. Kemsing station is also a short walk away, offering routes to London Victoria. Both the M25 and M20 are about 10 minutes away, whilst for travel further afield, Gatwick airport is just over 30 minutes by car.
Families will find Seal C of E primary school and Wildernesse secondary and sixth form school within easy reach and at the weekend, Sevenoaks Leisure Centre is fully equipped with a 25 metre pool, gym, health suite, creche and catering facilities. Alternatively, there are plenty of parks and heritage sites in the area to enjoy including the National Trust's Knole Park.
For further information about Childsbridge Farm, visit the marketing suite, open daily, or call 0845 026 5710. See bryant.co.uk/southeast.
Explore Living has just announced the launch of New Meridian Village, an exclusive new family-friendly development located in the coastal town of Ramsgate, Kent.
Here a disused 6.9-acre site on Manston Road will become a vibrant residential destination, sure to be popular with a range of buyer types, from families to first-timers. When complete, the development will comprise 207 homes ranging from studios to four-bedroom town houses.
The homes have high-specification fixtures and fittings, while solid concrete floors and staircases plus double glazed UPVC windows minimise maintenance. Kitchens have high-performance integrated appliances and concealed pull-up power outlets to maximise usable work surface space. En suite bathrooms feature digital showers and apartments have an audio/visual entry system linked to the TV for that extra peace of mind.
There is underfloor heating, plus abundant telephone points, pre-wiring for satellite TV and provision for a wall-mounted flat screen TVs.
The development offers large amount of landscaped green spaces rich with trees, and has been designed to provide a safer, greener and altogether better environment for children and adults alike, as well as to foster a strong sense of community. Cleverly designed ‘home zones’ include roads laid out to discourage speeding and excessive traffic.
John Inglis, sales and marketing director of Explore Living, says, ‘New Meridian Village is one of the most exciting projects in the South East at the moment because of its location within a prime regeneration area and the wide variety of homes available. The development offers purchasers affordable homes with good potential for capital growth in years to come thanks to the new high speed rail link expected to open in 2009.’
The development is well situated minutes from Ramsgate’s town centre and high street and just a short distance from the seafront, a sport centre, a leisure park and the town’s centrepiece, Ramsgate Marina. Ramsgate itself is also set to benefit from new commercial, residential and leisure developments and, from 2009, will enjoy a new high-speed rail link between Ebbsfleet and Stratford, allowing commuters to get into London in just 63 minutes.
The 22 homes in the first phase include one studio apartment, 13 one- and two-bedroom apartments, four three-bedroom houses and four four-bedroom houses. Prices for a studio apartment at New Meridian Village start at just £99,995; houses are priced from £249,995. For more information call Explore Living on 0845 872 1004 or visit exploreliving.co.uk
The first few exclusive homes from Stamford Homes are now available in the desirable village of Nassington, in the Nene Valley. Whittington’s Meadow is a development that offers a wonderful village lifestyle as well as five noteworthy public schools on the doorstep, plus a choice of independent schools within easy driving distance.
The attractive stone village has shops, pubs and a thriving rural community. The first few exclusive homes are due for completion in June. Prices for these high-specification five-bedroom homes start at £670,000.
Plans are available to view at Savills estate agents offices in Stamford, Oundle and Peterborough. Also contact Stamford Homes connections manager Juliana Russell on 07970 000224.
Oakdene Homes has just launched its luxury new show apartment at Swaylands, the fabulous conversion of one of Kent’s best-known country houses on the outskirts of Penshurst, Kent. The homes are set in a lush, beautifully designed 50-acre estate and offer a breathtaking specification as well as access to the type of scenery that reminds you why Kent is called the Garden of England.
Oakdene Homes has restored and converted the beautiful structure into 28 luxurious two- and three-bedroom apartments, two new blocks and the conversion of outbuildings into six mews houses.
The new two-bedroom show apartment is set within the main house at Swaylands. More like a house than an apartment, the 3,000 sq ft apartment is set over three floors and boasts two private patio areas and a roof terrace offering stunning views over the estate and surrounding countryside.
The basement has been renovated to provide further living space and provides a spacious flow of open-plan rooms including a steam room shower area. With the downstairs space separate from the other rooms, this will appeal to many homebuyers who are looking for flexible living, enabling teenagers and older children to take advantage of their own space and independence – and this layout is available at a range of units.
The 50-acre mid-Victorian estate offers an opulent lifestyle indoors and out, with plenty of wandering space outside: there is a listed rockery, a lake, sumptuous landscaped gardens and the sheer beauty and luxury of the original brickwork and architecture. Other facilities include a tennis court and gymnasium.
Penshurst village, situated within the view of Swaylands, is the quintessential English village combining a cricket ground with traditional village pubs, olde-worlde tearooms and the River Medway. It’s near Tunbridge Wells, for great shopping and transport connections.
Prices at Swaylands start at £499,950 for a two-bedroom apartment. For further information contact Oakdene Homes on 01737 249393 or visit swaylands.co.uk.
Great Homes offers Highlands, a brand new development of retirement apartments in Main Road, Gidea Park. A show apartment and sales suite have recently opened and the development is due for completion this summer.
Located in the heart of the Gidea Park Conservation Area, Highlands stands on what was once part of an estate belonging to local dignitary and MP Sir Herbert Raphael. In 1909 he had the idea of creating an ‘exhibition of houses and cottages’ reminiscent of a garden suburb – and many of those fine buildings, which echo the Arts and Crafts period, remain today.
Highlands will provide 23 one- and two-bedroom apartments plus communal lounge and dining areas, a library, high specification kitchens and state-of-the-art safety and security features. It has been designed exclusively for buyers of 60 years and over, and will stand in landscaped gardens that feature a number of the original mature trees that the developer has carefully preserved.
Highlands emphasises an independent lifestyle, with each apartment designed given a thoughtful layout for ease of living. There’s an open-plan arrangement for the main rooms, sizable bathrooms with elegant sanitaryware, vanity units, baths and showers, lots of storage space, a private hallway and an impressive kitchen. Affording a wood finish and quartz worktops, the kitchens have a range of integrated Bosch appliances, including a washer/dryer, fridge and freezer, oven, combination microwave and a hob with an extractor above. Spot and pelmet lighting give it a stylish feel.
There will be high-quality communal facilities and a number of safety and security features. There will be a residents’ lounge, conservatory and library, along with a guest suite and buggy store. A duty manager will ensure the smooth running of the complex, while the building itself will have CCTV entryphone, a 24-hour emergency support team at the press of a button, and a gated driveway to the entrance.
Highlands is ideally located for local amenities. Its eventual residents will be able to shop at the nearby newsagent, supermarket and pharmacy, enjoy public open spaces such as at Raphael Park, or use the excellent road and rail infrastructure for travelling to nearby Romford town centre, Upminster, Brentwood or further afield. A trip into London to see a show is a distinct possibility too.
The Highlands sales suite is open 10am through to 5pm every Saturday and Sunday or for further information contact the selling agent Porter Glenny on 01708 725000. Visit greathomesltd.co.uk.
At The Manor, City & Country Group’s award-winning development at Herringswell, near Newmarket, Suffolk, The Archery Court is a visually striking house with an unusual previous incarnation. Originally built in the early 1980s as part of the Japanese boarding school that occupied The Manor from 1985 to 2001, The Archery Court was, as the name suggests, where students honed their skills with a bow and arrow, shooting arrows from what is now the ground floor living area to hit targets at the far end of the property’s garden.
The building has now been converted into a highly contemporary three-bedroom house that has an interesting touch of the Orient about it. Externally, the two-storey geometric property features crisp soft greenish grey render and grey slate roof tiles and has a series of full-height sliding-glass screens that run almost the full width of the house, inspired by traditional Japanese houses. The glass doors lead onto a timber-decked terrace and, beyond, a partly walled private garden, perfect for entertaining in the summer months.
The ground floor includes a large, light-filled open plan living/dining room looking on to the lovely garden, as well as a luxurious bespoke eat-in kitchen, with unusual solid bamboo work surfaces and stainless steel appliances. Upstairs, there are three double bedrooms, two with en suite bathrooms, and a family shower room.
The Manor is set in over eight acres of stunning grounds in the beautiful Suffolk countryside. City & Country Group has created a woodland walk, which meanders through the mature trees that surround the development. The Manor is less than seven miles from Newmarket, less than 22 miles from Cambridge and just over 40 miles from Stansted Airport.
The home is priced at £535,000. Viewing is by appointment only. Call City & Country Group on 01279 818 900, Bidwells on 01223 841842 or Savills on 01223 347000. Visit herringswellmanor.co.uk.

Grow your own
Growing your own vegetables has never been more popular, as produce prices rise and food role models such as Jamie Oliver urge more healthy eating.
Those who live in cities may think they don’t have the space to grown their own veg – however, an ingenious invention makes it possible for the most urban of us to be healthier and more self-succifient, even in a small space.
Patio-Gro, a new three-tiered growing frame from Gro Garden Products, offers a staggering 18 square feet of growing space yet takes up an area of just 22’ x 70’. Specially designed for those with limited outdoor space, Patio-Gro can be placed on a patio, terrace, courtyard, balcony or any open space, enabling you to grow organic, chemical-free and environmentally friendly home-grown produce.
Patio-Gro includes ‘deep’ trays, allowing the direct sowing of seeds and plants. The three-tier system offers maximum light and ventilation for the plants. Patio-Gro will grow vegetables, herbs, salads, fruits and even alpines and bulbs, and all without the need of a garden. Growing your own vegetables for the first time can be great fun too and since its launch this year Patio-Gro has been proved a big hit with children and schools.
Patio-Gro, priced at £69.95 plus postage, is available online at grogardenproducts.co.uk.

Gardeners go green
Charlie Dimmock is urging gardeners to tackle climate change in our back gardens as we observe Compost Awareness Week. The TV gardener warns that our impact on the environment is already showing. And gardeners are in the perfect position to respond to the challenge in our own back gardens, says the green-fingered goddess.
Gardeners report already seeing signs of environmental change in their garden. Seven out of ten gardeners polled say plants are blooming much earlier than expected this year, over half have had to cut their grass sooner or later than previous years and 43 per cent claim they are now having to mow their lawns more frequently.
These figures, from Waste & Resources Action Programme to mark Compost Awareness Week (Sunday 4 May to Saturday 10 May), are up on previous years, which suggests that current environmental damage will actually affect our generation rather than the next. But what can you do to “green up” your act?
Recycle as much garden waste as possible, as 76 per cent currently do. Composting is an ideal way to go green, as more and more of us are discovering: the percentage of gardeners choosing to home compost has increased from 34 per cent to 53 per cent this year, and 41 per cent of gardeners now buy peat-free composts containing recycled materials.
There are also many things non-gardeners can do to slow the damage we are doing to the environment. For more information visit compostawarenessweek.org.uk.

Gardens are ‘little goldmines’
The UK’s gardens are turning into goldmines crammed with exotic plants, hi-tech tools and luxury furniture worth a whopping £18.6 billion, according to new research by Lloyds TSB Insurance.
The survey found that the contents of the average garden are worth £1,237, while one in ten gardens contains goods worth over an incredible £3,000. In a typical garden, the most expensive single item is on average £426 but five per cent have a single item over £1,000.
As for gardening itself, a quarter of Brits (26 per cent) enjoy more than six hours a week in their garden during the spring and summer months. One-third of gardens have ornamental plants, a quarter have statues and ornaments and 22 per cent have a water feature. Seven in ten have a patio heater while six per cent have a sun house.
Half of Brits spend £200 on their garden every year, while three per cent spend over £750. Top of the gardener’s “wish list” for 2008 is a wallet-busting hot tub, followed by decking and water features.
But despite spending so much on their gardens, most Brits don’t know whether they are insured properly. Over half (55 per cent) have never checked whether their garden contents are included on their home insurance policy, while 87 per cent don’t review the value of their gardens each year to make sure they are covered. But Lloyds TSB Insurance warns that accidents do happen. Last year, the insurer processed 5,244 garden claims with an average value of £726.

Contrary to many reports, there are ways to get on the property ladder. With the market slowing, bargains and incentives in the new build market are getting easier to find, says Johnny Turner

Close-up
Who Kyle Davis, 21
What A 75 per cent share of a two-bedroom apartment whose full price was £109,995; his share was £82,500 and Persimmon Homes gave him an interest-free loan on the remaining 25 per cent.  
Where Clayton Court, Pontardulais near Swansea. Call 01792 886647
Why The development offered me everything I wanted in terms of location, and I found a two bedroom apartment that accommodated all my needs. However, I was conscious that as a first time buyer, I may not be able to afford my perfect property. The sales advisers at Clayton Court soon laid my fears to rest though, when they introduced me to their shared equity scheme.’
What else Persimmon’s shared equity scheme is also available at Bryngwyn Village in Gorseinon. Visit persimmonhomes.com.

Climbing on to the ladder
Alice Clarke found that it made more sense to head out of London to buy – both in terms of commuter convenience and affordability.
Instead of renting on the outskirts of the capital, she bought at Pembroke Park in well-connected Crawley. With prices starting at £205,000 and a range of incentives available from Fairview New Homes, new buyers will find the help they need in these still-expensive days.
Pembroke Park is a new ‘village’ on Haslett Avenue East in Crawley, offering both apartments and houses within beautifully landscaped areas. Planning permission has been granted for a gym, wellness centre and shops which will create a new village centre.
Both road and rail connections are top-notch in the area, a clear advantage in attracting young professional buyers. As for Clarke, ‘I will be catching the train from Three Bridges to London and I don’t expect it to take me any longer to travel to work than it did when I was living in rented accommodation in London.’
Call 01293 521707 or see fairview.co.uk.

Young buyer sees success
During the last decade of almost relentless price rises, it became more and more common to see first-time buyers teaming up in an effort to get on the ladder.
Which is exactly what Julia Spencer did in 2005. At the time she couldn’t afford to buy by herself, so she bought with a friend in St Albans. The compromise has now paid off in spades, as the sale of the property raised enough capital for her to buy her own two-bedroom apartment at Mezza Luna, Crest Nicholson’s latest development in the area.
‘The profit from the sale of my first home allowed me to move onto the property ladder by myself much sooner and more easily than I otherwise would have been able to do,’ says Spencer. ‘It left me financially ready to buy my own property and the affordability of the homes at Mezza Luna meant that I haven’t had to compromise on location or specification.’
As a commuter, she has found Mezza Luna’s location ideal. ‘I can get into London for work in under an hour, door to door.’
Mezza Luna is made up of 22 stylish apartments across three separate buildings. Other Crest Nicholson sites across Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire that will appeal to younger buyers include thehub:mk in Milton Keynes, Viridian Square in Aylesbury and the recently launched Sentinel in Watford.
Contact Mezza Luna on 0870 755 0844; Sentinel on 0870 755 1630; Viridian Square on 0870 755 1635; and thehub:mk on 08700 843482. Visit crestnicholson.com.

For the seventh year running, we at HotProperty have selected what we think are the top developments in the market. And for the same number of years, we have found that the competition has gained in both accomplishment and confidence.This bodes well, both for an industry that is fastening its safety belts for a bumpy ride and for a buying public that is looking for what it have always been looking for: a home that is buyable, stylish, well located and likely to hold its value – and build upon that value – in the medium to long term.This week we salute those developments of apartments that have shown themselves to be what the market wants this year, whether by being the best for investment buyers or commuters, by raising the style stakes or making good-quality homes affordable to the general public. So here in the 19 pages that follow are 2008’s winning apartments.

Commutability
PLATINUM Bellway South East - Meridian South. Bellway.co.uk
GOLD Intro Homes - Avenue Heights. Introhomes.co.uk
SILVER Higgins – Uber. Higginshomes.co.uk
Uber – pic used in commute 591
Meridian – pic used: How low can you go 531, pic 2
Also you can use pics from in house/transport to get train or DLR pics

In Walthamstow, an environment that has both a village vibe and east London charm, Higgins Homes’ Uber has shown itself to be a hit with commuters. The area is currently riding a wave of regeneration, with a £56 million project underway. Walthamstow is luring young professionals at a rapid rate, offering as it does high-quality surroundings at a more affordable price than many similarly advantaged parts of London.
But it is great commuter links that often seal the deal, and this is another way in which E17 is a winner. The huge street market and new designer shopping centre are bonuses.
St James Street train station near the high street offers regular direct trains to London Liverpool Street, with a journey time of about 16 minutes. Walthamstow Central tube station, on the Victoria line, is about 23 minutes from Oxford Circus.
Uber is made up of 100 studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments on Erskine Road. The building’s cascading and ascending flat roof, sculpted with aluminium panels, lend it a dramatic profile. The development has a play area and a secret garden, a place to relax in relative privacy. Also, most apartments have glass-panelled balconies.
Internally each property incorporates a designer Urban Myth kitchen which comes fitted with Smeg appliances which include a stainless steel electric oven, gas hob, integrated fridge/freezer and washer/dryer.
Prices start at an impressive £205,000 (less five per cent assisted deposit). First completions are expected in the spring. Call Higgins Homes on 020 8508 6000 or visit higginshomes.co.uk.

What a commuter often wants is a way to opt in and out of the hustle and bustle of daily life with ease – and that’s just what the three developments shortlisted for the Commutability Award for apartments excel at.
Intro Homes’ Avenue Heights in Surbiton is an extremely successful blend of easy suburban charm and access to the office. Within walking distance of Surbiton station, where you’ll find journey to Waterloo in less than 20 minutes, this location is ideal.
Frequent flyers will appreciate its easy access to Heathrow, and those who take the car to work will find both the M25 and A3 very nearby. This part of London even caters well for those who cycle in the area.
The homes are not only stylish but low-maintenance, which lends itself to a low-maintenance lifestyle that busy commuters appreciate. The 11 one- and two-bedroom apartments also offered good affordability, with prices originally starting at £240,000.
The best-of-both-worlds lifestyle is very evident in this area, due to the excellent parkland and other relaxing spaces nearby. The River Thames is very easily reached, as are the green spaces of Bushy Park, Richmond Park and Fishponds. The fantastic shopping in nearby Kingston is less than two miles away.
Avenue Heights is now sold out. For information on other Intro Homes developments call 0870 445 0870 or visit introhomes.co.uk.
Meridian South is Bellway’s impressive £100 regeneration project, the redevelopment of the former Hither Green Hospital in South London. The scheme, set south of Greenwich on the Meridian line, includes 544 apartments set across eight buildings.
The focal point of the development is a pedestrian piazza, while other amenities include a supermarket, restaurant and a leisure centre. The Historic Quarter includes a Victorian water tower that is now used as a management office and exhibition venue for local history.
The quarter also includes four former hospital buildings, which Bellway has converted and refurbished. One is a working GP surgery, another a nursery and two have been converted into live/work units.
One huge attraction to this development has been the very commutable location. Hither Green station provides a link to London Bridge, making a commute into the City quick and straightforward. Also, Lewisham, just one stop away, provides a DLR connection to both the City and Canary Wharf.
The homes are now sold out. Visit bellway.co.uk for details of current developments.

Community
PLATINUM Inspace Homes – Eastside. Eastsidee3.co.uk
GOLD Telford Homes - Merchant's Quarter. Telfordhomes.plc.uk
SILVER Newlon Housing Trust - The Ashburton Triangle. Newlon.org.uk

The glue that binds society, the element of a living location that makes us feel a part of something – that's one way of looking at community. And this past year HotProperty has seen a number of exceptional strides made by developers in the service of inclusion. With the houses that have been created, we have seen wonderful examples of the will to shape a locale through positive building. The winning developments of houses in this category push the agenda of benefiting the local area in ways that we feel are above and beyond the call of duty.

With its regeneration credentials established as part of the classy new home of Arsenal, The Ashburton Triangle is a development of 249 flats for key workers, a segment of London’s population that has found far too few opportunities for ownership. The realistic prospect of home ownership is the linchpin of the community, and moves to make ownership a reality rather than a dream are to be applauded. That the project includes homes to rent at below market rate shows a desire to truly make a difference in a time when rents, too, threaten to climb out of reach even of the decently paid. Homes that stem from such a project must be of quality, and those in the Triangle, it is encouraging to see, definitely meet this requirement. Designed by the same architects as the Stadium, this is Europe’s largest zinc-clad building, a futuristic yet friendly addition to a very established neighbourhood.This project by Newlon Housing Trust is a great help to the residents of Islington and a boon to the community as a whole.Prices for rent start at £95 a week, and shared ownership apartments start at £130,000. Those interested in buying a 40 per cent stake require an annual income of around £17,000.Visit newlon.org.uk to find out more.
With Merchant’s Quarter, Telford revisited the scene of quite a few past triumphs. Bow is a fast-rising part of the East End, and with 2012 suddenly seeming alarmingly near, the area – and Telford Homes will continue to show the smart money is on E3.Merchant’s Quarter is a collection of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments integrated with retail space, perfect for today’s lifestyle.The development is being created in partnership with Eastend Homes, and the result will provide much-needed homes for a range of buyers, from young singletons to small families.Bow is an exceptionally well-connected area, and its variety of leisure, retail and business opportunities has made this part of the East End desirable on a scale that was hard to imagine only a decade ago.Its placement – both on the doorstep of two international centres of commerce in the City and Canary Wharf, and in the heart of the family-orientated East End – gives it a special place in terms of community.The apartments at Merchant’s Quarter sold out almost immediately, testament to the fact that Telford has not lost its knack for combining location, spec design into a package that buyers fall over themselves to get to.For information on currently available developments visit telfordhomes.plc.uk.Another Bow triumph, Eastside has become a watchword for buyers and fellow developers in terms of getting well-priced, well-designed apartments into the London market.Investors, first-time buyers, young professional couples – a wide spectrum of buyer types have found what they were looking for here. The interaction between this new residential centre and the ‘old’ Bow has been interesting to see: this successful integration of new homes into a quite historic part of the capital is of benefit to all of London.As the site has progressed from phase to phase, we have seen how Eastside has gone from incomer to ‘part of the furniture’ – and this, combined with the huge appetite for these homes the market has demonstrated in the first four phases, adds up to runaway success.There are currently one- and two-bedroom apartments for sale at Eastside, and prospective buyers should act quickly. Visit eastsidee3.co.uk.


Investor Potential
PLATINUM Telford Homes, SoBow
GOLD South East Living, 3SE
SILVER Barratt Southern Counties, The Sanctuary

Investors need three main things in a property: a low price, to limit initial capital outlay; attractiveness to good-quality tenants, including good commuting; and the prospect of good capital growth in the medium to long term. The three winners of HotProperty’s Investor Potential Award have all of these qualities and more.

In ever-popular Wimbledon, The Sanctuary by Barratt Southern Counties offers 398 one- and two-bedroom apartments and studios in an exclusive and rarely available riverside setting. It also offers balcony views, lovely gardens and a lively communal veranda. Ample parking is another plus.
This development is an obvious match with young professionals who are busy by day and want peaceful, upmarket surroundings in which to relax after hours. Wimbledon is the perfect place for unwinding, with its mix of open spaces, bustling shopping centres and easy access to both central London and the country.
The Santuary is located a stones throw from Wimbledon, Wimbledon Park, Colliers Wood and Raynes Park. There is good shopping all around, including a thriving weekly market; there are also many restaurants, bars and cafés nearby. Commuters love the location, with its excellent road, rail, underground, tram and bus links to the centre of London.
The Sanctuary is, not surprisingly, sold out. Look for other investor-friendly developments from Barratt Southern Counties at barratthomes.co.uk.
Well-located Bromley is a hit with investors, as its constant tenant demand means money for landlords. South East Living have built on that already firm foundation with its unapologetically modern, user-friendly 3SE development on Sherman Road.
There are just 13 one- and two-bedroom apartments, including two breathtaking penthouses. The high-tech, high-spec approach has paid off in many ways. Buyers are in no doubt that they had found a no-nonsense property investment, while tenants are sure to benefit from the lifestyle the scheme offers.
Everything is in place for a modern lifestyle, with the emphasis on high-spec day-to-day living. All apartments are wired for a music system, and the stylish floor coverings and lighting are perfect for the young professional, whether an owner-occupier or tenant.
The location is excellent for commuting. Bromley North station is mere moments away, giving residents a real advantage in their day’s work. There is also brilliant shopping and green space very nearby.
There is currently one one-bedroom second-floor apartment for sale, priced at £225,950; two others have yet to be released. Call selling agent Acorn New Homes on 020 8663 4466.
Telford Homes is an investor favourite, and whenever there is a new development released, the buyers rush in. SoBow in E3 was no exception, selling out in record time and giving both owner-occupiers and investors something to smile about.
Situated on Ordell Road, SoBow consists of 144 private sale apartments and penthouses (some with optional parking) and 57 affordable housing homes. The modern design, combining contemporary architecture with a comprehensive specification, is just what today’s investor is looking for. The location, meanwhile, is also a firm favourite and one that good-quality tenants will always go for.
The apartments and penthouses are arranged around a central landscaped courtyard that will provide private amenity space for residents to enjoy. The Mostyn and Ordell buildings rise up to six and seven storeys respectively, with car and cycle parking underneath. Terraces and balconies make for nice outdoor space – and provide great views.
The high-spec kitchens with their contemporary units and integrated Smeg appliances, including a dishwasher, fridge freezer and washer dryer, are another box ticked in the investor checklist. The bathrooms offer pure white suites with polished chrome fittings by Logica.
Perfectly placed for City or Canary Wharf workers, the homes at SoBow are the perfect investment. With its excellent transport links, from tube to DLR, this development understandably found favour with those who know convenience translates into money. Obviously, this development was also a recipient of the Olympic boost. Its position, near the fringes of the 2012 Olympic Park, will continue to pay off.
To find out about current Telford Homes developments visit telfordhomes.plc.uk.

Value for Money
PLATINUM Barratt East London - Forest Place. Barratthomes-forestplace.co.uk
GOLD South East Living - Roma Court. Seliving.co.uk
SILVER Intro Homes – Millfields.Introhomes.co.uk

In a climate of still-high property prices, value for money is crucial. In London and the South East particularly, prices have risen to around ten times the average income, which can’t be good for the market, or for society generally. Thankfully, there are still developers putting property on to the market at prices way below insane.

In Clapton, Millfields offers that rare thing: one-bedroom apartments in the capital starting in the low two-hundred-thousands. This Intro Homes development is making good use of an area that is clearly on the up: a comprehensive regeneration programme connected to the 2012 Olympics, to be held nearby, means the area is becoming more cosmopolitan day by day.
Millfields is a collection of 70 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with an emphasis on style and convenience. The location, within walking distance of Clapton train station, puts commuters in a very advantageous position, with journey times of approximately 12 minutes to Liverpool Street.
The homes at Millfields are located in two six-storey apartment blocks that blend brick, glass and steel to create a stylish and modern development. Each apartment has gas fired central heating and timber windows and is designed to maximize space. Additionally, every home benefits from its own balcony or terrace and many of the two bedroom apartments also have en suite facilities.
Each apartment is fitted with contemporary kitchen units from the Symphony Range, providing a range of base and wall units with co-ordinating work surface and matching splashback. The bathrooms feature white suites with low level WCs, panelled baths and vanity units with recessed wash hand basins
High-quality specification, combined with the low entry price (this year Millfields has been priced between £210,000 and £260,000) means the only way is up for those who buy here. It is no wonder that the development has been snapped up.
Find out more about other Intro Homes development by calling 0870 445 0870 or going online to introhomes.co.uk for more information.
In much-loved Sevenoaks, South East Living showed apartment living at its finest with the Roma Court development on Bradbourne Vale Road. The amazing penthouses in particular raised the bar of apartment design – and the location was the icing on the cake for some very impressed buyers.
The two-floor open-plan penthouses provide exceptional open-plan living space with a strong ‘wow’ factor. Double doors leading on to a private terrace and a spacious hall opening onto a large study area – impressive indeed. One penthouse provided fitted wardrobes and an en suite shower room to the master bedroom, while the other boasted a walk-in wardrobe and en suite shower room.
One truly impressive thing about these penthouses was the price: such quality in such a setting at under £400,000, including carpets, curtains and light fittings and secure covered parking? Exceptional.
The homes at Roma Court are now sold. Find out what South East Living is currently selling by visiting seliving.co.uk.
At Forest Place in Walthamstow, Barratt East London is showing first-time buyers that buying a home is possible, with a range of incentives on offer for those who are new to the market. With prices for a two-bedroom apartment that started as low as £ 135,498, this development is bringing the first-timer back.
Walthamstow is definitely up-and-coming, with loads of regeneration taking place and commuter links even better than ever. The City and the West End are very easily reached, while local markets and parkland bring people from around east London.
Being affordable doesn’t mean these apartments make you go without top spec, either. There are balcony terraces, landscaped gardens, an on-site residents only gym and an electronic gated security concierge service (subject to planning).
Current availability includes Acorn apartments priced from £164,995 and one-bedroom apartments from. Call 020 8531 5127 or see barratthomes-forestplace.co.uk.

Design and Innovation
PLATINUM Silver Homes, Wakeling Manor
GOLD Redeham Homes, Accordia Living
SILVER Bellway Thames Gateway South, The Old Tannery

Home design improves year after year, and this year’s awards have been brightened by the fresh take on home design by a number of developers.

Bellway Thames Gateway South offers The Old Tannery, a collection of high-spec homes in central Canterbury. The location is fabulous for a wide variety of buyers, from those with university-age children to downsizers, families to young professionals.
The one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and three- and four-bedroom town houses all benefit from a modern yet friendly design, with both exteriors and interiors emphasising light and space.
The location is wonderful. Canterbury is big on educational facilities, making this development great for an investment. Wonderful historic buildings abound in the area, including Leeds Castle and Canterbury Cathedral, and Howletts Zoo is also a big attraction.
Commuters love Canterbury. Canterbury East is linked to Victoria while Canterbury West goes to Charing Cross – both journeys take around 90 minutes. By car, the A2/M2 is close by. For access to the Continent, the Channel ports, tunnel and Ashford International station are all within 30 minutes.
Current prices range from £170,000 to £399,000. Call 01227 453853 or visit barratthomes.co.uk.
Accordia Living by Redeham Homes is set to challenge the traditional concept of living, with a range of architecturally dynamic and innovative new homes. The uber-modern homes define style, reflected throughout by the use of traditionally materials, in a contemporary architectural fashion.
The design of this development takes its cue from the existing natural landscape and surroundings – in particular the 700 or so established trees that have been carefully preserved. This mature landscape has been enhanced with diverse new open spaces scattered throughout the development, within the streets and squares.
The homes provide open plan living spaces and combined with terraces, courtyards and balconies at various levels, double height spaces and split levels offer endless possibilities.
Kitchens are designed by Euro Cucina and boast appliances by Miele, while in the bathrooms the co-ordinated bathroom furniture from Duravit complements the Villeroy and Bosh suites perfectly.  
The development nestles on a vast tree lined avenue that leads to the very heart of the city centre. Cambridge offers residents and visitors a vast wide range of amenities which include street markets, high street shops, restaurants, bars and cafes. The River Cam provides the perfect opportunity to view the outstanding architecture found within the historical colleges of the city.
The setting is a mix of wonderful architecture and established trees and greenery. Brooklands Avenue is a very well regarded location, among the most prestigious in Cambridge.
For more information on this development visit redehamhomes.co.uk.
The ten apartments and three penthouses at Wakeling Manor in Purley exhibit the love of design that drives Silver Homes. The developer is very adept at providing beautifully crafted ultra-high-spec homes for the discerning buyer, and Wakeling Manor is wonderful evidence of this drive and ability.
The design had to flatter what is an uncommon amount of natural beauty. Situated in exclusive, sought-after Woodcote, West Purley, bordering the 260-acre Webb Estate, Wakeling Manor is handsome, its exterior communicating just the right combination of gravitas and welcome. The look is timeless.
Commuting is easy, and a wealth of options for a day or evening out are within easy reach. Purley railway station gives links to London, for work or entertainment, while Brighton and the South Coast are also very easy to get to. The M23 and M25 are also a short drive away, putting airports within quick driving distance.
The use of the ironmongery of Charles Wakeling – who a century ago was the blacksmith of the Webb Estate, and for whom the development is named – is a beautiful, poignant design touch that shows the past is valued. It is just these touches that lift Wakeling Manor from merely beautiful to an absolute design success.
Inside, the homes offer gorgeous, modern kitchens, with the best built-in appliances and designer lighting. Bathrooms, too, are of the moment, with high-spec white sanitaryware and feature mirrors.
For further information about Wakeling Manor contact Silver Homes on 020 8660 9470.

Green Homes
PLATINUM Premier Properties for White Gables
GOLD Bellway South East, Meridian South
SILVER Telford Homes, Stradthaus

In terms of getting its message out, the green movement is the success of the past decade, with a consistently high profile that brings the facts about the dangers of global warming to the world with admirable skill. That fight is ongoing, but what of the changes actually being made to how we live? This has had mixed success, but we are realising that in this fight, the priorities and timing are crucial: what we need to do is change our habits in the ways that we think are most productive, and we need to do it now.B oth the building and maintenance of a home are major contributors to carbon emissions – but developers in the UK are reacting admirably to this major problem. The net result on the environment is difficult to gauge so far, although the simple facts of the problem tell us that this can make a substantial difference to life in subsequent generations. And the homes that are arising from new methods, materials and ways of thinking are impressive indeed, as our shortlisted developments show.

At Stadthaus in Islington, Telford Homes has once again created a development that has immense buyer appeal; indeed, I had hardly heard of this collection of apartments before it was sold out.
The location alone is a green achievement. Situated on Murray Grove, off Shepherdess Walk in N1, this development is perfect for the City worker who wants to eliminate the hassle car commuting and the relative unpredictability of the tube, and simply walk into work.
Telford’s last development in the area, on Wenlock Road, was an immensely popular combination of apartments and business premises – but the success of Stadthaus is truly staggering.
We can look forward to further wonderfully located Islington/City-side schemes from Telford in future, I’m sure. Visit telfordhomes.plc.uk to keep track of the latest developments.
Building green often means making something new out of old land and/or buildings, and with Meridian South, Bellway South East has succeeded in creating something that is beautiful and functional as well as eco-friendly in its construction. The impressive £100 regeneration project is the redevelopment of the former Hither Green Hospital in South London. The development, set south of Greenwich on the Meridian line, includes 544 apartments set across eight buildings.
The focal point of the development is a pedestrian piazza, while other amenities include a supermarket, restaurant and a leisure centre. The Historic Quarter includes a Victorian water tower that is now used as a management office and exhibition venue for local history.
The quarter also includes four former hospital buildings, which Bellway has converted and refurbished. One is a working GP surgery, another a nursery and two have been converted into live/work units.
One huge attraction to this development has been the very commutable location. Hither Green station provides a link to London Bridge, making a commute into the City quick and straightforward. Also, Lewisham, just one stop away, provides a DLR connection to both the City and Canary Wharf.
The homes are now sold out. Visit bellway.co.uk for details of current developments.
White Gables in South Croydon was awarded an Eco Home ‘excellent’ rating for developer Premier Properties, proof that these 14 luxury two-bedroom apartments are taking the green message to buyers. Buyers, of course, want green homes, and that may be part of the reason this development is selling very quickly indeed.
The list of energy-saving initiatives at work her is impressive. Five of the apartments will have solar heating, which will not only save energy but also reduce running costs. All apartments observe a below-average swelling emission rate with regard to CO² emissions.
Another energy-saver is the drying space within each apartment. Bathrooms have retractable dryers over the bath and bathroom fans are fitted with a humidistat to maximise air quality. All the white goods within the development are eco-labelled, demonstrating that they are recommended due to their economical energy use. Fridges and freezers are all A+ rated, washing machines and dishwashers are A rated, with category B washer-dryers.
Internal lighting features 75 per cent low-energy lights, while outside the building, compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) and fluorescent strip intruder lighting is used.
White Gales also has a well above average pollution reduction score, and Premier Props has commissioned a report on zero emission energy sources, as well as fulfilling a planning condition demanding that ten per cent of energy is obtained from local renewable sources.
Green day-to-day living is very easily accomplished here, as South Croydon station is located within half a mile and both East and West Croydon stations are within two miles. This means car commuting is unnecessary and the train can take the strain. A number of good bus routes can be accessed within 500m of White Gables.
The development is just coming up to completion. Prices range from £287,500 to £309,500 for ground and first floor apartments, while each of the two stunning penthouse apartments, offering around 1,300 square feet of space, is priced at £390,000.
The show apartment is open Thursday to Monday from 10am to 5pm. Call 020 8688 1926.

Metropolitan Living
PLATINUM CALA Homes South, One Battersea Square
GOLD Acorn Property Group for Weller Street Lofts
SILVER Barratt Southern Counties for The Gallery

F or those in search of a fun, frenetic lifestyle as well as a high-quality home, today’s new homes market offers much to choose from. With specification that matches the cool, chic feel of today’s London, these homes are perfect for this busy, buzzing age.

Barratt Southern Counties wins a Silver Award for The Gallery, an exclusive development of architect-designed apartments in very sought-after Hove.The stunning interiors epitomise the buzzing lifestyle of this very up-and-coming area, with light and spacious living and dining areas, sleek designer kitchens and master bedroom suites with gorgeous state-of-the-art bathrooms.The Gallery is situated in a partial car-free zone, each apartment yet apartments have their own designated car parking spaces located in the underground car park. There is also a well-equipped residents-only gym.Hove is an increasinly young locale, with wonderful seafront, restaurants, bars and a wealth of shopping as well as creative and leisure pursuits in nearby Brighton.Hove is close to the A23 and M23, and Gatwick Airport is nine miles away. London is very easy to get to by train as well. Current prices at The Gallery start at around £300,000. Call 01273 829300.A former bonded warehouse at the heart of historic Borough, Weller Street Lofts offers just 13 two- and three-bedroom residential apartments. Ten properties in the former warehouse building will feature exposed brickwork, iron columns and solid wood floors, while three new apartments will also be available, including two amazing penthouses.Weller Street Lofts is set around an integral courtyard just five minutes’ walk from Borough tube station and within easy reach of the river and the South Bank’s culture, leisure and nightlife.Weller Street is tucked away in a quiet residential corner behind Borough High Street, close to the tube. It retains original features while also creating a lovely contemporary living space, perfect for the locale, which is both buzzy and historic.The two and three-bedroom apartments will have high ceilings, iron support columns and a fusion of old and new window designs. Living areas within the original building will contain traditional cast iron column radiators, dark timber flooring and tall contemporary doors.Ultra-contemporary kitchens will have integrated oven, hob, extractor hood, fridge freezer, dishwasher, not to mention stylish units; washer-dryers are to be housed in separate cupboards. Bathrooms, with ceramic and glass, also speak of contemporary chic.All apartments have been sold; prices started around £500,000. See what Acorn Property Group currently has available by visiting acornpropertygroup.org. One Battersea Square by CALA Homes contains 28 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses ranging from 575 to 1,231 square feet. The area is superb, and the balcony to each home makes great use of this.The Thames, the London Eye, the Gherkin, Wembley Arch – what could be more metro than all the iconic sights right there for you to view?The tech-spec is great. The sitting room, kitchen/breakfast room and master bedroom are all pre-wired for surround sound. CAT-5 cabling has also been installed, keeping you and your computer well connected.
Bathrooms have chic white Villeroy and Boch sanitaryware, thermostatically controlled Hans Grohe showers, mirrors with demister pad and chrome towel rails. Meanwhile, the contemporary open-plan design of the kitchens and spacious sitting rooms give a luxurious feeling of space.Under-floor heating helps the clean lines of the interior space by dispensing with radiators. Safety is taken care of with CCTV in parking areas and audio/video entry systems linked to the electronic vehicular and pedestrian gates. Private parking to the rear of the development is available to residents at an additional cost, and there is a cycle store for the use of all residents.Battersea is a well-known area of choice for younger Londoners, with its array of great gastropubs and theatre pubs, as well as wonderful restaurants, bars, cafés and – crucially – fabulous transport.Prices currently start at £365,000. The show apartment is open daily from 11.00 to 18.00. Visit the website onebatterseasquare.co.uk.

Waterside Homes
PLATINUM Weston Homes, Barton Mill
GOLD Redeham Homes, Vie
SILVER Bellway Thames Gateway South, The Marina

Bellway Thames Gateway South - The Marina
Redeham Homes – Vie (if no pic, use pic 3 from NHRU 588)
Weston Homes - Barton Mill (if no pic, use pic 9 from Kent 540)

G ravesend is a waterside location with a wealth of history, and The Marina by Bellway Thames Gateway South benefits enormously from its Thames-side setting. This development of stunning one- and two-bedroom apartments near the water’s edge has a relaxing feel, yet is very well connected to London via rail links.
The Marina’s central location in Canal Road means that you are only a few minutes from the town centre; countryside is also close by, and the Thames keeps watch throughout.
Gravesend has good restaurants, cafés, bars and pubs, and there is also a cinema, clubs and pubs mean that there’s no shortage of things to do in the evenings. For the health leisure centres and wonderful parkland.
Gravesend now has the benefit of the new Channel Tunnel rail link from nearby Ebbsfleet International, so travel to the Continent is as easy as a trip to London. Gravesend Station, less than a mile from The Marina, offers direct services into London Bridge with a journey time of about 50 minutes. The Dartford crossing is just eight miles from the town, giving easy access to the M25.
Current prices range from £165,000 to £290,000. Call 01474 568436 or visit bellway.co.uk.
The River Cam is a glorious, lazy thoroughfare, with a wonderful rhythm both on the water and on the paths that run alongside it. It is here that Redeham Homes has built a collection of luxurious design-led homes – homes that have got buyers very excited indeed.
Vie is a collection of 287 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and three- and four-bedroom townhouses in an outstanding riverside location set within one mile of the hustle and bustle of Cambridge city centre. With journey times into central London taking less than an hour, the development has become a very popular with commuters.
Residents at Vie will benefit from the new cycle and foot bridge that crosses the River Cam linking Vie and the area of Chesterton to the south. The bridge will be the only crossing on the east side of the city and will offer a peaceful alternative route into town.
Each residence benefits from a spacious terrace or balcony with some boasting fantastic views of the River Cam or surrounding gardens. Each home features underfloor heating and contemporary designer kitchen units with Smeg integrated oven, hob, fridge-freezer and washer/dryer. Bathrooms and en suites will all feature Villeroy and Boch sanitary ware, with Hansgrohe chrome finish fittings and Italian design wall tiles.
Each apartment has an allocated parking space, while some of the town houses include a garage with electrically-activated door. All homes are provided with cycle storage.
Prices for homes at Vie start at £245,950 for a one-bedroom apartment and £469,950 for a three-bedroom semi-detached town house. Call 01223 365666 or visit redehamhomes.co.uk. Also contact selling agents Bidwells New Homes on 01223 841842.
Weston Homes is selling Barton Mill, which is in a wonderful location on the River Stour in Canterbury. The regeneration of the much-loved mill and creation of new buildings alongside provides 141 new homes, including two-, three- and four-bedroom homes.
The Project Genesis scheme allows buyers a choice of interiors, fixtures and fittings as standard – the very type of materials and styles that many developers would offer as upgrades.
The development is very well located for Canterbury’s lively entertainment scene, excellent amenities and good transport links. The recently refurbished shopping centre provides a mixture of one-of-a-kind boutique shops, well-known high street brands and high fashion stores. There are also two renowned theatres, an art deco cinema and plenty of health and leisure facilities.
All apartments have now been sold on The Island at Barton Mill. There are three-bedroom town houses available, priced from £299,950. Contact the sales and marketing suite at Barton Mill on 01227 459994 or see weston-homes.com.

Larger homes are in short supply, partly as a result of the current emphasis on building apartments. However, Johnny Turner finds, there is still much for the family to like in the new homes market

Case study
Despite current fears about a difficult property market, buyers at Hopkins Homes’ exclusive development, Lawford Park in Lawford, Essex, are undeterred, with many of the purchasers of the most recent phase having waited in anticipation for over a year for these properties to be released for sale, and 75 per cent of the current phase has already been reserved.
Della Kinsmore, a housewife, and her husband Mark, an investment banker, both 44, recently bought a large four-bedroom detached house at the development. Mark and Della have lived in Lawford for the last 22 years. Della comments: ‘We like Lawford because it is green and feels like you are out in the country, however Colchester and Ipswich are only a few miles away. Mark commutes into the City every day, and trains from Manningtree station, which is a short distance down the road, only take an hour into London, which is a good journey. We have been waiting for 18 months to buy this house and we know that many others have done the same so we are not worried about our property depreciating in value.
While demand is so high, prices can only increase, and we are confident that there will always be a high demand for properties here because it is such an exclusive address.’
Della continues: ‘We are both really looking forward to the move, which we hope will be in early spring. This year will bring a few changes: our youngest, Alex (16), will finish school and start college and Melissa (18), our second eldest, will be moving away to university. Mark and I felt that we wanted to do something new for ourselves too. Whilst we have always gone for new properties, this is a much smaller development than anywhere we have ever lived before. We like the fact that the house is traditional in style but has all the benefits of a new build. I especially love the high ceilings, the wooden sash windows and our square living room, which creates a much more sociable living space than our current oblong living room.’
Claire Richards, Head of Sales and Marketing, Hopkins Homes, comments: ‘Houses from the latest phase at Lawford Park have sold phenomenally well and this is testament to the high quality craftsmanship of the properties and their magnificent setting. Lawford Park is a truly unique development designed around sweeping tree-lined avenues and is one of North Essex’s most exclusive new addresses. The high demand for property at Lawford Park reassures us that the market is not dead.’
The properties at Lawford Park combine traditional motte, ruby red and buff brick work with unusual and contemporary features such as pavilion roofs, pillared entrances and Dormer windows with some of the homes incorporating feature towers. Each property benefits from large timber frame sash windows and French doors in the kitchen to make the most of the rural views across The Stour Valley and its water meadows.
Internally, each property has been designed with careful consideration to create light and airy spaces that are as practical as they are impressive. Every home is finished to the finest specification and purchasers can take advantage of a luxury custom built kitchen package, choosing from a range of worktops, units and flooring and wall tiles to suit their tastes.
Ideally placed for commuters, Manningtree station is just 114 metres away and offers services into nearby Ipswich and Colchester, with a journey time of about ten minutes by train. The A12 is also easily accessible, providing routes south to Colchester, Chelmsford, London and north to Ipswich and the A14.
Prices for current availability start at £310,000 for a three-bedroom house.
To register your interest, or for further enquiries, please contact Christine Edwards on 01206 397024 or visit the website: hopkinshomes.co.uk.

Family foundations
Young professionals Faith Houston and Chris Harper chose to buy their first family home at Reading’s urban village Kennet Island. The couple chose a three-bedroom, two-bathroom town house which offered them flexible accommodation over three floors.
Faith Houston explains: ‘Our house gave us ‘ready made’ family living with a garden that came complete with turf and the added bonus of a shed.
‘The property has been very cleverly designed to create two separate living areas over two floors. This gives us the option to have ‘family living space’ for us and our daughter downstairs, with the added benefit of a further ‘adult only living zone’ on the first floor.’
‘We were also delighted with the high specification finish on our new home which meant so many extras came included within the asking price,’ Faith continued.
Her partner, Chris Harper echoes her sentiments: ‘We are really enjoying our new life on the island, its great to be away from the hustle and bustle of city life and yet we are still within such easy reach of the town centre.
‘The development is attracting a real mixture of buyers. We have lots of lovely neighbors, everyone is so sociable - there is a real community spirit evolving.
‘Location wise – we are spoilt for choice - we have so much on our doorstep, all within easy walking distance. Green Park has something to appeal to everyone: for those who enjoy the fresh air you can spend hours exploring the lovely walks in beautiful countryside. For foodies, there is a delicious restaurant, LSQ2. For those who want to stay fit, there is a big Cannons gym. There are also two great crèches, for those looking for childcare close to home.
The Madejski Stadium offers a variety of sporting events and they have a great Jazz Café we’ve been to a few times which is great. The retail park is also on our doorstep with B&Q and Comet and PC World. With Morrisons/Next/Laura Ashley etc just up the road. Basically we really are spoilt for choice. If you want to explore further a field, it only takes 40 mins to stroll into the town centre or less than 10 minutes by car.

Private and tranquil family life at Kingswood Chase
For Emil Jones space, privacy and tranquillity were the top priority when searching for a new home for him and his partner, Elissandra Da Costa, and his nine-year-old son. After searching Greater London for his ideal home, the 39-year-old IT manager at BP has bought a five bedroom, four bathroom detached house at Kingswood Chase by award winning St James Homes.
Built around a 19th century Grade II listed Victorian manor house, Kingswood Chase is an exclusive collection of 39 new and refurbished luxury properties surrounded by three acres of secluded woodland in Chislehurst, Kent.
Kingswood Chase is approached via a discreet tree lined avenue, offering the utmost in privacy and seclusion. Set within a gated environment, Emil’s house benefits from a detached double garage plus additional parking for several cars. Emil and Elissandra enjoy entertaining at home, and their new home provides the perfect environment to do so. There are separate sitting and family rooms, a large kitchen with separate dining room and a home entertainment room. The house also has a garden ideal for summer barbeques with friends.
‘For Elissindra and I, this is the perfect environment for us to settle indefinitely and to grow our family. There are a number of good state and private schools in the area, and we are close to the village centre while being just 25 minutes away from Central London. Chislehurst is not transient by nature, which is very appealing to us. Residents in the area have lived there for many years and the sense of community and neighbourliness is evident.’
When Emil heard that St James was developing in the area, he made enquiries immediately: ‘St James has an unrivalled reputation for building quality homes, so buying off plan was not a problem. Having seen the marketing material for the development, and being allowed onsite before building commenced, I was confident to buy into Kingswood Chase. The sales process was straightforward and the staff were extremely friendly and responsive to my needs.’
Outside space is a central ethos at Kingswood Chase. Emil continues: ‘At Kingswood Chase you get the feeling of living in the countryside. The development is surrounded by woodland that provides rural seclusion and the picturesque green spaces of Marvels Wood and Scadbury Park are nearby. I am also impressed with the effort St James has made to conserve the environment by installing ground source heat pumps for five detached family homes.’
Emil and Elissindra are looking forward to enjoying the wide range of leisure facilities within close proximity of Kingswood Chase. Emil is a keen golfer and will have a choice between the prestigious Chislehurst and Sundridge Park Golf Clubs right on his doorstep. For Elissindra, the area is renowned for its designer boutiques, gastro pubs and restaurants, and the cosmopolitan villages of Bromley and Blackheath are nearby, whilst Bluewater
Shopping Centre is just a short drive away. Meanwhile, Emil’s nine-year-old son is a budding karter and will be spending time at the nearby famous Brands Hatch racing circuit.
Getting to work from Chislehurst is easy for Emil who works in Stockley Park, near to Heathrow. There are convenient road links with the A20, M20 and M25 providing access to Heathrow and Gatwick Airports. Elmstead Woods station is just a short walk away from Kingswood Chase with direct trains into London Bridge, Waterloo East and Charing Cross in 25 minutes.
The first showhouse at Kingswood Chase is open to be viewed by appointment only. Prices start from £560,000 for a two-bedroom apartment to £2.4 million for a six bedroom detached house.
For further information please visit kingswood-chase.co.uk or call 0870 850 1522.

Homes in the countryside offer a relaxed lifestyle. Amanda Shiel takes a look at what’s available

Mulbarton, Norfolk
Mulberry Gardens comprises 366 one- and two-bedroom apartments and two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom houses.
Internally the homes are of a classic yet contemporary design and are finished to the very highest standards. Purchasers can choose from a selection of designer kitchen cupboards and work surfaces, subject to stage of construction, and selected homes include a range style oven. Bathrooms are fitted with white suites with chrome fixtures and fittings.
The pretty village of Mulbarton is just seven miles from Norwich and gives easy access to the M1. The village has a primary and middle school, post office and village store, a traditional pub, farm shop and a medical and dental surgery.
Prices start from £179,995 for a three-bedroom house, from £284,995 for a four-bedroom house and from £499,995 for a five-bedroom house. For further information contact the marketing suite on 01508 578078 or visit hopkinshomes.co.uk.

Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex
Comprising spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments and two bedroom duplex apartments, St Johns offers the comfort of modern design while being surrounded by the tranquillity of the stunning historic village.
Inside, the duplex apartments boast a beautiful wooden spiral staircase, with chic chrome features which leads up to the bedrooms. The open living area in each apartment is benefited by exceptionally high ceilings and French doors which lead out to a balcony.
The open plan Urban Myth kitchen is fitted with Smeg appliances which include a stainless steel electric oven, stainless steel electric gas hob, fridge/freezer and washer/dryer. The stylish bathrooms are fitted with crisp white Ideal Standard sanitary ware. The security features of each apartment include a video entry phone system and electric gate to the developments secure underground garage. 
Stansted Mountfitchet is conveniently positioned just 50 minutes away from London’s Liverpool Street Station, Cambridge is less than 30 miles away and Stansted airport is seven miles away, making it the ideal location for travel connections both nationally and internationally.
Show apartment open daily between 10am-5pm. Prices for duplex apartments start from £275,000 for a two-bedroom, two bathroom apartments with balconies. Standard one-bedroom apartments are priced from £179,995 and two-bedroom apartments from £232,500. Contact Higgins Homes on 01279 813 986 or visit higginshomes.co.uk.

Farnham Royal, Berkshire
The Grange is a collection of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes.
The Grange is very well connected with direct trains from Burnham Railway Station to London, as well as the M40, M4 and M25 motorways all within a few minutes drive of the village. Homes in Farnham Royal are highly sought-after, not only by professionals, but also families who benefit from a village lifestyle while still having easy access to Slough and Beaconsfield town centres, as well as a host of reputable schools.
Prices start from £330,000. For further information contact the sales and marketing suite and show
home, which is open daily 10am–5pm, on 01753 647 400. Alternatively visit lindenhomes.co.uk.

Worth, West Sussex
Banner Homes is to create an up-market new collection of fourteen houses and apartments on the site of the former Barnwood Hotel. 
The development will comprise of five four- and five-bedroom detached homes and some exclusive two-bedroom apartments. The homes are set to appeal to professionals and families who are looking for quiet village living combined with access to great transport links.
The detached homes include a spacious kitchen/breakfast room with French doors that open out onto the garden, a separate lounge, dining room and a cloakroom. Upstairs, there is a master bedroom complete with an en-suite and either fitted wardrobes or a dressing area, the second bedroom comes complete with its own fitted wardrobes and in some instances a en-suite and a further family bathroom is also available, along with plenty of storage space.
The two bedroom apartments consist of a contemporary kitchen, spacious lounge, master bedroom complete with en-suite and fitted wardrobes, family bathroom and a second bedroom complete with fitted wardrobes.
All the homes at Barnwood Place will also benefit from a garage or allocated car parking.
For further information about the properties now available off-plan, contact Banner Homes Wessex on 0870 1978822 or visit bannerhomes.co.uk.
 
Kirdford, West Sussex
Bourn Meadows is a stunning collection of traditional-style two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom homes set around a lovely village green. .
Homes at the development are fitted to a high specification. Each kitchen is fitted with granite worktops and a full range of integrated appliances including a double oven, ceramic hob, fridge/freezer, dishwasher and washing machine whilst the elegant bathrooms and en suites are fitted with white sanitaryware from Twyford’s Galerie range. 
Prices start from £315,000 for a two-bedroom terraced home. Show home now open. Contact Rydon Homes on 01403 820824 or see rydonhomes.co.uk for more details.

Newell Green, Nr Bracknell, Berkshire
The cottages at Newell Green Farm feature light, spacious accommodation.
Fitted kitchens boast a comprehensive range of appliances in a stainless steel finish. Each of the three bedrooms has built-in wardrobes and the master benefits from en-suite facilities while the remaining two are served by the main bathroom.
Externally, gardens are beautifully designed and each of the properties has its own garage – something that is increasingly rare in today’s new homes.
Prices for the remaining three-bedroom, cottage-style properties start at £415,000. For further information visit millgatehomes.co.uk.

Ashtead, Surrey     
Warren Court comprises a selection of one- and two- bedroom apartments exclusively for the over 65s.
The apartments offer classically proportioned rooms finished to an exceptional specification. Home owners benefit from an elegant drawing room, beautifully landscaped communal grounds and a concierge service.
The development is situated off the Leatherhead Road, less than half a mile from Ashtead’s bustling village high street.
Prices at Warren Court range from £249,950 to £360,000. For further details on the homes and of the Assisted Move scheme visit the sales and marketing suite, open daily from 10am–4pm, or call  01372 276098. Outside of these hours, call selling agent Patrick Gardner & Co on 01372 360832 or visit millgatehomes.co.uk.


Great Baddow, Essex                                                                     
Clarion Gate will consist of 119 two- and three-bedroom cottages, two-, three- and four-bedroom houses and 74 one- and two-bedroom apartments, all centred around a striking village green. 
The development, due to launch early this year, is conveniently located on Beehive Lane, just 1.5 miles from the centre of Chelmsford and the mainline train station. The A12 is also within easy reach, providing excellent access to the M1 and M25. Alternatively, Stansted Airport is just less than twenty miles away.
Prices have not yet been set but are likely to range from approximately £165,000.
For more information and to register interest for the forthcoming launch, contact Crest Nicholson on 01277 693230 or visit crestnicholson.com.  

Little Canfield, Essex
The Thatchams is the first phase of homes at Priors Green occupying a prominent position within the village. Two village ponds front the development and the two-, three- and four-bedroom houses flank tree-lined boulevards. There are also two landscaped children’s play areas at the heart of the development.
Internally great emphasis has been placed on creating well proportioned, light and airy living spaces. Houses feature open plan kitchen/breakfast or kitchen/living areas, with doors leading onto a garden. Master bedrooms have either fitted wardrobes or dressing rooms and an en-suite shower or bathroom fitted with sleek white sanitary ware and chrome fixtures and fittings.
Bishop’s Stortford is just over six miles from The Thatchams and has a wide range of high street and boutique shops, cafes, bars and restaurants, as well as excellent local schools. Priors Green is conveniently located just four miles from junction 8 of the M11. There are regular trains to London Liverpool Street from Bishop’s Stortford train station, taking approximately 43 minutes. London Stansted Airport is just under three miles from the development.
Prices at start from £200,000 for a two-bedroom house, from £236,000 for a three-bedroom house and from £350,000 for a four-bedroom house. Contact the Marketing Suite on 0845 071 2072 or visit thatchams.net.

The market may be slowing but would-be investors are as keen as ever to make the right deal. Johnny Turner looks at the apartments, the incentives and the locations that are set to sway buy-to-let purchasers

The holy trinity of property investment is low capital outlay, attractiveness to good-quality tenants and the prospect of realising good capital gains once it comes time to sell. Sounds simple, really.  But it may seem to the novice investor that he is being asked to predict the future.
During times like now, when the housing market is the subject of so much speculation, so to speak, many are confused about whether it is wise to even consider entering the buy-to-let market, or extending their investment. And definite answers are not out there; any prospective investor has to think about his own position, and place the wisdom of any possible outlay within a wider context of the potential for a downturn. It’s always good to play ‘what-if’ over market variables such as interest rates, house prices and lender friendliness, as well as more personal considerations like future employment prospects, pension circumstances and your attitude towards risk.
For those who do decide to invest in property, aiming towards new build is an increasingly popular course of action, as it lends itself to a low-maintenance style of stewardship – something that sets it apart from the needy, less energy-efficient Victorian conversion flat, for instance. And with house prices having hit a period of much slower growth, the new homes market seems to have stopped racing ahead price-wise, the better for the average would-be investor to jump on board.
In a very up-and-coming part of London, Bermondsey Square is a mixed-use development with history as well as modern style. Centred around the site of the original Bermondsey Antiques Market, this will take the shape of 76 bespoke apartments, with other amenities including an art house cinema, boutique hotel, offices, restaurants and bars.
Those from around London and beyond will be glad to hear that the weekly Antiques Market will be back once the regeneration scheme is completed; the new space will have enough space for up to 200 market stalls, and will feature other regular markets such as fashion and farmers markets. There will also be one-off events including outdoor cinema, making this area even more than ever a destination for leisure-seekers.
Other nearby attractions, such as Zandra Rhodes’ Fashion and Textile Museum are evidence of a new ‘coolness’. Other nearby attractions, such as Borough Market, the Tate Modern and other South Bank must-sees, are firm London favourites, and the wealth of good transport ticks yet another investor-friendly box.
Bermondsey Square, situated at the junction of Tower Bridge Road and Long Lane, is part of what Southwark Council call a ‘strategic site’. A combination of archaeological interest and bomb damage in the area has meant the area has been underdeveloped – a rarity in London! The neighbourhood is currently home to a diverse mix of architecture, including Georgian, Victorian, loft apartments and 20th-century warehouse buildings.
Under the aegis of Igloo Regeneration Partnership, the new nine-story Bermondsey Square residential building will both have contemporary timber and perforated steel construction and display a section of the ancient remains from the 11th-century Abbey Church in a glass cube within one of the proposed restaurant units.
Bermondsey Square is due for completion in July. Call 020 7420 3023 or 020 7629 3344 or visit bermondseysquare.co.uk.
Milliners Place is the conversion of a former hat factory with the addition of three new buildings on Midland Road to create 119 luxurious one, two and three bedroom apartments. Situated in the town centre, Milliners Place is a five minute drive to the M1 making the North and South of England easily accessible and short walk to the train station, which offers the town’s commuters fast trains to London’s St Pancras in just 23 minutes and an easy commute to Luton Airport.
Redeham Homes has sensitively converted Milliners Place to retain the building’s original Georgian architecture, whilst creating stylish apartments that maximise the available space and light. The apartments have been built to a high specification including a choice of kitchen designs incorporating an integrated stainless steel oven, extractor hood, fridge / freezer and washer dryer. Redeham Homes recognises that different purchasers prefer different apartment layouts to suit their lifestyles and so have created properties that have open plan, semi-open plan and separate kitchens.
The contemporary bathrooms include Roca Laura wall-hung white sanitaryware complemented by Grohe fittings, thermostatic showers and heated towel rails. To provide purchasers with an added level of style and luxury, a range of the apartments include en suite facilities to the principal bedroom. A selection of the apartments benefit from balconies or terraces.
Private parking is also available at the development. Milliners Place is ideally situated for residents to take advantage of the facilities and amenities that Luton has to offer. The Arndale Centre, which has over 120 shops, is within easy walking distance, whilst Luton offers a diverse range of restaurants, bars and leisure facilities.
Prices for the remaining apartments at Milliners Place start from £130,000 for a one-bedroom apartment and from £170,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. Call 01582 456 692 or see redehamhomes.co.uk.
In Birmingham, a city that is seeing some exciting regeneration, Imagine Homes has just acquired The Exchange, an exciting new buy-to-let opportunity. This selection of stylish one-, two and three-bedroom new build apartments is in a highly sought-after location within the famous Jewellery Quarter. With a great selection of bars, restaurants and shops on the doorstep, the city centre hotspots are within easy reach. Birmingham New Street railway station is within walking distance and London is just an hour and a half away by train; road links are also comprehensive, with the M5, M6, M40 and M42 within easy reach. For frequent flyers, Birmingham International Airport is also nearby.
Birmingham has seen a £450 million redevelopment of the Bullring and Mailbox shopping centres. The Jewellery Quarter itself has undergone significant regeneration, with £250 million of public and private money invested over the last ten years, and its reinvention as a sustainable and inclusive urban village will be complete by 2010.
Grant Bovey, CEO of Imagine Homes, says, ‘We are delighted to offer property investors a rare investment opportunity in such a sought-after location. Continued regeneration and inbound investment will continue to encourage strong capital growth and rental demand.’
Imagine Homes offers its customers a worry-free way to invest in residential buy-to-let, sourcing quality new build opportunities in excellent locations with strong capital growth and rental prospects. Imagine Homes also finds the tenants, manages the property and guarantees the customer a unique rental return of 7.5 per cent of the purchase price per year for two years.
Prices at The Exchange currently start at £143,000. For further details and to register your interest telephone 0800 458 5050.
Imagine Homes has many other buy-to-let properties available throughout the UK. Visit imaginehomes.co.uk to find out more.
At Imperial Wharf in perennially popular Fulham, St George has released Parkside Apartments, which include beautifully specified two- and three-bedroom apartments and two stunning three-bedroom penthouses which offer exquisite river views over acres of landscaped parkland and courtyards.
Interior designed by Taylor Howes, winners of the recent Andrew Martin international interior design award, the apartments incorporate an all-new enhanced specification, including: comfort cooling; stunning contemporary designed fitted kitchens; luxurious bathrooms with stone paneled heated walls and floors as well as bespoke shower enclosures with feature chrome rain showers; and a new state-of-the-art integrated home entertainment system.
As with many of the better London developments, Imperial Wharf has on-site facilities that means lifestyle and entertainment options are right on your doorstep. It incorporates the popular Young’s Waterside bar and restaurant, along with a range of other fine restaurants. There is also a wine bar, a hotel, a family indoor play centre and a childcare and education centre.
Transport connections are great, which means good-quality tenants and owner-occupiers alike will find the location friendly. Connections with the City and West End include an enhanced local bus service, and the proposed new Imperial Wharf railway station, which will provide direct links with Clapham Junction for London’s railway network and West Brompton for the underground. Fulham Broadway and Parsons Green tubes are also within walking distance.
For further details contact the sales and marketing suite on 020 7610 9693 or visit imperialwharf.com.
In West Drayton, Middlesex, St George’s Parkwest is a stunning new development of one-, two and three-bedroom apartments that will be welcomed by prospective first-time buyers, particularly those who want to let a room in their flat in order to help with the mortgage.
The contemporary Manhattan Apartments and the versatile Duet Apartments both make sharing easy, offering two identical master bedrooms, each with an en suite and its own balcony. For the buyer who wants that bit extra there is a collection of stunning penthouses. These exceptional three-bedroom split-level apartments are situated on the top floor of the building and offer superb panoramic views of west London as well as a huge amount of versatile space.Parkwest’s specialty is modern, flexible accommodation with high specification at a surprisingly affordable price.Buyers these days are busy, a fact that is taken into account by St George in its provision of amenities at Parkwest. There is a residents’ gym, business centre, 24-hour concierge and landscaped gardens. And commuters will love its location: the M4, M25 and Heathrow are just a couple of miles away. The area is home to a wide range of big employers, with companies such as BT, Cisco, Apple UK, Marks & Spencer, Sharp and Hasbro only a few minutes away.
Meanwhile, West Drayton station offers direct links to London with trains to Paddington going every half-hour and taking approximately 25 minutes. And the recent announcement that Crossrail has been given the green-light means Parkwest will eventually have direct connections to Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and Liverpool Street. For students, the world-famous Brunel University is just a few miles away.
And the best news? That you can buy an apartment in Greater London with this level of style, space and convenience at prices starting at £194,950. Get further information on 01895 449009 or visit park-west.co.uk.Bristol is one of the UK’s most popular spots. It offers a lifestyle that has big city elements without the constant thrum of pressure that London dwellers face. At Glaze, located just off Nags Hill in the sought-after St George area, Linden Homes is creating a development of just 22 one- and two-bedroom apartments.These properties are ideal for those who are ready to get on the property ladder, not to mention buyers looking for a secure investment opportunity.St George’s cosmopolitan atmosphere makes it a much-loved area of Bristol. It has an assortment of restaurants, shops and boutiques catering for every taste. Commuters are also well served, with services from Bristol Temple Meads reaching London in approximately an hour and three quarters, and Virgin Cross Country trains serving the North, Midlands and the South Coast. For drivers, the nearby A4 and M32 offer both easy access to the heart of Bristol and good links to the M4 and M5.Two bedroom apartments are priced from £146,995, and there is also just one one-bedroom apartment priced at £124,995. For further information visit lindenhomes.co.uk. Also from Linden Homes, the Verve development on Mill Street in Slough offers just the type of sleek, modern apartments that investors are looking for – and with a new buy-to-let incentive on offer, investment purchasers will be even more impressed.
The developer has joined with Campsie Estate Agents to offer an innovative assured rental scheme, which offers customers £950 a month for two years.
This will enable investors to enjoy a hassle-free buy-to-let experience providing not only two years’ guaranteed rental income – whether the apartment has a tenant or not – but also a free management service from Campsie, a free furniture package which becomes the property of the landlord after two years and a fully fitted kitchen complete with oven, hob and stainless steel chimney hood to make the two-bedroom apartments even more sought-after.
Helen Todd, sales and marketing director for Linden Homes Chiltern, says, ‘We are the first company in Slough, if not the country, to offer such a fantastic incentive to investors. With the average age of first-time buyers now 34 and many older customers looking to buy for their pension or children, the rental market is set to increase massively over the next ten years. And what better way to guarantee excellent returns than to take advantage of assured rental scheme.’
Matthew Seamons of Campsie Estate Agents in Slough, says, ‘We are delighted to be able to offer this scheme with Linden Homes – and investors can rest assured that we will offer our fantastic management service, as well as a furniture package to a high specification. This really is too good to miss out on and I would recommend investors to visit the show apartment at Verve today.’
The scheme is s ubject to scheme rules and on selected homes only. Two-bedroom apartments start at £217,950. These include parking and a high internal specification. Find out more about the assured rental scheme call the sales and marketing suite, open daily, on 01753 577277 or visit lindenhomes.co.uk.
Inspace Homes, known for its very affordable and investor-friendly London schemes such as EastSide, has now moved into Birmingham with its Mica Point development. This collection of 62 one- and two-bedroom apartments is housed in a four-storey building located on Great Colemore Street in the Lytham Croft area of Birmingham. Designed by architects BM3, the exterior blends brick, render and wood to create a contemporary structure perfect for the target markets of young professionals and buy-to-let investors.
Birmingham is becoming increasingly known for its provision of a luxury lifstyle, with its branches of Selfridges and Harvey Nichols – and of course it is still famed for its curry houses, award-winning restaurants and a host of exclusive bars and clubs.
Birmingham City centre is within easy reach, with Birmingham New Street station only a five-minute walk from the development. Here busy professionals will find fast and frequent services into London Euston with journey times around 90 minutes. Other destinations include Manchester, Nottingham, Edinburgh and Plymouth. For drivers, the M6 is just ten minutes away with its access to Staffordshire and the North. Birmingham International airport, which is only a 20-minute drive away.
Donna Smith, board of management partner at Connells, says, ‘The Birmingham City centre market still represents excellent value for money and a real opportunity for first-time purchasers or even seasoned investors to take advantage of the capital growth being recognised in regeneration locations. Inspace Homes are an extremely forward thinking developer who are determined to buck the trend and keep city centre apartments affordable to both owner occupiers and investors alike, with low headline prices that will attract the savvy buyers.’
Fraser Wells, managing director at Inspace Homes, says, ‘We expect Mica Point to be very popular. The development offers stylish properties at affordable prices in a vibrant and cosmopolitan area which will appeal for young professionals and investors alike.’
Building work has begun and the apartments will be launching early this year. To register your interest please contact Connells on 0121 54 4861 or visit mica-point.co.uk.
Uxbridge is yet another up-and-coming spot, thanks to a concerted regeneration effort that mixes residential property and retail and office space – the formula for success these days, both in terms of providing a convenient lifestyle and bringing would-be buyers the housing stock that the current market so badly lacks.
Over the years the town of Uxbridge in Hillingdon has evolved from a historic market town into a thriving metropolitan centre. The town is a hotspot for commercial property with a number of vibrant retail outlets and offices, first class educational opportunities and now a stunning new residential development located its heart called The Heights by leading developer Oracle Residential.
As home of the world’s busiest airport and one of London’s most successful centres for shopping, the Borough of Hillingdon is well positioned to increase its successes. There is a continuous demand for homes, shops and leisure facilities and with excellent transport options the area is set to grow and continue developing. On average, house prices in Hillingdon are 14 per cent lower than London, while prices for apartments are 37 per cent lower.
Darryl Flay, Managing Director Oracle Residential, comments: ‘Traditionally, government funding is diverted towards fashionable inner-city regeneration in areas such as Elephant and Castle and Croydon, however, in Uxbridge there has been a clear move towards regeneration and renewal of resources. We have spotted this trend and have positioned our newest development ‘The Heights’ at the heart of it all.’
At the centre of Uxbridge sits the local Borough of Hillingdon’s government and public services, while nearby are the campuses of leading schools Brunel University and Uxbridge College. The town benefits from excellent transportation links with the M40 and M25 motorways close by, a comprehensive bus network and Metropolitan and Piccadilly Line services via the London Underground. Heathrow Airport, the world’s busiest airport, is just 20 minutes away.
With over one million square feet of retail space, the town features two covered shopping centres, The Pavilions and The Chimes, as well as a large number of independent shops, a ten-screen cinema, three gyms, a nightclub, a and variety of bars, eateries and restaurants.
Darryl continues: ‘The Heights is perfectly positioned at the centre of Uxbridge for commuters to take advantage of the town’s excellent transportation links as well as the shops, restaurants and leisure facilities throughout. Uxbridge is expected to continue to develop and to become even more popular. New-build homes such as those at The Heights, that are bought early tend to rise in value faster than the national average and early investors in areas such as Uxbridge will benefit from the financial advantage of having a home that could be worth more than you paid for it when you move in.’
Uxbridge is a dynamic town; the town itself and the regions around it are changing and evolving to become high quality, highly skilled economies. The town benefits from a diverse workforce and an average of over 10,000 people from outside the Borough visiting daily. There are over 500 businesses in Uxbridge town centre and nearby including a significant number of UK and European headquarter offices such as Coca Cola, General Mills, Unisys and Xerox.
‘The Heights’, is a collection of one and two bedroom apartments that have been launched off plan and are located above The Pavilions, the award-winning shopping centre with a daily market and craft fair. An ideal location for quick and easy access to the local shops and nearby Uxbridge tube station, beautiful country parks, golf clubs and the Grand Union Canal are also within easy reach. Properties start from £199,950 and are ideal for investors and young professionals looking to take advantage of the great location and investment opportunity.
Apartments at The Heights have been designed to provide purchasers with everything they need for a modern home with ALNO designer fitted kitchens, stainless steel appliances and integrated dishwasher, fridge/freezer as well as a washer/dryer.
For those looking for a good commuter location, The Heights is ideal with nearby Uxbridge tube station (Zone 6) providing regular services into the City via the Piccadilly and Metropolitan Lines. International travellers will also benefit from the easy access to Heathrow via the Piccadilly line service. The West London Tram service should be ready in 2013, with a speedy link into London and White City’s exciting new Westfield London development.
Prices for The Heights start from £199,950 for a one-bedroom apartment. For further information contact Hamptons on 0845 643 0060 or visit theheightsuxbridge.com.
In sought-after Bristol city centre, Barratt has seen a lot of interest in its newly released phase of apartments at The Zone. More than 200 people registered interest in The Zone before its launch, a testament to the desire for both owner-occupiers and property investors for more apartments in the area. Visitors queued for the launch event and several homes reserved on the spot, says Barratt sales director Louise Ware.
’The Zone has been a huge success for Barratt since we first launched in Temple Quarter,’ she says, ‘and this latest phase of development has really wowed potential buyers. In addition to traditional apartments we launched the new citi-pads which have really captured the imagination.’
In addition to setting new benchmarks for city centre living, The Zone has the city’s first residents-only gym, available from move in date, as well as a car club and roof terraces which are adjacent to the cycle paths.
Once complete, The Zone will have 407 units – a mix of citi-pads, apartments and town houses. Its location, close to shopping, transport and leisure facilities, is proving perfect for first-time buyers, young professionals and investors. Prices range from £127,500 to £215,000. For further details call 0117 930 0705 or visit barratthomes.co.uk.
Following the huge success of its previous phases at Waterstone Park in Greenhithe, North Kent, Countryside Properties is now selling a range of homes at Fusion, its brand new collection of modern one- and two-bedroom apartments and two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom houses set in the centre of this parkland development.
Waterstone Park has been proving extremely popular with London buyers looking for a highly specified and spacious home in an impressive location, yet at an affordable price – something now rarely found in London. The development is situated close to one of the UK’s most ambitious new regeneration schemes, Ebbsfleet Valley, which is set to become the South-East’s most sought after living environment outside of London.
Ian Hepworth, Sales Director for Countryside Properties, comments: ‘The response to our last phase at Waterstone Park has been outstanding selling over 80 properties in less than 12 months. As such, we wanted to give keen purchasers the opportunity now to buy off-plan for 2008 completions, to ensure that they don’t miss out on the chance to own one of these well-located, high quality homes.’
Waterstone Park offers a winning combination of impressive landscaping, great transport connections, convenient shopping and stylish architecture, far enough away from the pressures of city life, but with excellent facilities.
Waterstone Park enjoys an ideal location, with Bluewater on its doorstep, offering over 330 shops and with 40 cafés, numerous bars and restaurants, a Molten Brown day spa and a 13-screen multiplex cinema all under one roof, Bluewater offers a choice of shopping, dining and leisure facilities that is unrivalled outside of central London.
Residents also benefit from excellent transport connections, the M25, A2, M2 and M20 give convenient motorway access and Stone Crossing and Greenhithe railway stations are just minutes away, offering journey times to London of approximately 40 minutes. Furthermore, the new international and domestic station at nearby Ebbsfleet, due to open in 2009, will bring London within 17 minutes and from autumn this year t