New Homes - Thursday, June 08, 2006

Battersea, London

Berkeley Homes has responded to the demand for traditional family homes in the capital with Battersea Park Square, which provides 56 homes. The development includes both apartments and houses, including mews houses and town houses, many with private gardens, garages and gated parking facilities. Battersea Park Square is just a short walk from prestigious Prince of Wales Drive and Battersea Park, located in one of the most sought-after corners of SW11. The homes are ideal for families with young or teenage children, High spec includes dimmer light controls, timber veneer doors with polished chrome fittings and advanced wiring suitable for home working and a range of home entertainment systems. Prices start at £355,000 for apartments and £925,000 for houses. Call 020 7978 7496.

Edgware, Middlesex

Banner Homes offers Compass Place, a development of 18 two-bedroom apartments in Glendale Avenue, near both Stanmore and Edgware tube stations. The development offers good storage, private basement parking and a lift to all floors. Three properties remain for sale, priced between £410,000 and £435,000. Some have carpets, curtains and light fitting. For more information call the sales office, open daily, on 020 8958 0739.

Banstead, Surrey

Antler Homes announces that it has been granted permission to build an exclusive development of just nine two- and three-bedroom apartments on Avenue Road. The development, called Park View, is located a short distance from the centre of Banstead village. The homes will have luxury kitchens and classic white bathrooms, as well as a patio or balcony. Prices from £280,000. Register interest on 01737 357870.

Milton Keynes

Charles Church has released for sale a luxurious Edlesborough design in its Westcroft Park development, where buyers will find a choice of three- and four-bedroom homes as well as three-storey three-, four- and five-bedroom homes. The three-storey Edlesborough, currently priced at £284,995, includes the additional incentive of £250 towards legal fees, and fitted carpets are standard. Prices at Westcroft Park start at £212,995. Call the sales office on 01908 867820.

Englefield Green, Surrey

Charles Church’s Fircroft development at Englefield Green officially launches from the on-site sales office at 10am on Saturday 17 September. This exclusive development comprises 18 luxury one- and two-bedroom apartments and nine very desirable three- and four-bedroom homes. Initial prices start at £200,000 and range to £535,000. Visit the sales office from this Saturday or contact selling agents Townends on 01784 434304.

Colchester, Essex
The Forum at Barratt’s Balkerne Heights comprises 26 two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments just a stone’s throw from the centre of this historic town. Two-bedroom apartments give a choice of layout, allowing you to have either a separate kitchen and living/dining area or a more open-plan style. The three- and four-bedroom duplexes also offer flexibile space. Prices start at £199,995. Call 01206 765674.

Buyers are flocking to the outer London areas, where it is possible to escape the capital yet still have easy access to it. Johnny Turner finds out what’s on the market.

What is suburbia? The Concise Oxford puts its finger on the prejudice this word signals: ‘n. often derog.’ Then it goes on to define it as ‘the suburbs, their inhabitants and their way of life’. A suburb, in turn, is defined as ‘an outlying district of a city, esp. residential’.
Of course, in the case of London, the suburbs begin around the furthest reaches of the various tube lines and carry on into deepest commuterland – and London’s commuterland is itself rapidly spreading into counties such as Northamptonshire and Suffolk.
So London’s suburbia is the dwelling place of people who have the need to get into the capital but prefer the quietness, the space and often the lower prices that a metropolis can’t offer them. So far from deriding suburbia, we should instead celebrate it – its leafiness, its schools, its general ‘un-Londonness’.

When you consider the quality of homes that are available to today’s home buyers, there is even more reason to celebrate suburbia. Whether you are after a smart apartment or a sprawling family home, you’re bound to find the perfect home in the space between city and country.
Starting in leafy Wimbledon, Goldcrest Homes offers Lanherne Gate, an elegant scheme of 30 apartments, six penthouses and one one-bedroom bungalow located on The Downs, a quiet, tree-lined road off the Ridgeway. These wonderful homes offer luxury for those seeking to live in a peaceful part at the edge of the London postcode area.

Homes at Lanherne Gate are finished in a contemporary style to an extremely high specification. Living spaces are open-plan and feature a glamorous black and white kitchen by Schmidt, complete with fully fitted AEG stainless steel appliances including microwave and dishwasher.
David Steer, managing director of Goldcrest Homes, says, ‘Lanherne Gate is the most exclusive new development in Wimbledon which also contains a number of luxury communal facilities. We envisage the scheme appealing to purchasers who are seeking the best quality homes in the Wimbledon area, with the benefit of the private cinema, air-conditioned gym, concierge and library.’
Each homes includes a designated parking space – two for each of the penthouses. The show apartment has just launched. Prices start at £350,000 for the bungalow and £425,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. The marketing suite and show apartment are open daily from 10am to 5pm. To arrange an appointment to view or get further information contact the marketing suite on 020 8947 0940 or selling agent Quinton Scott on 020 8971 3800.

In leafy, lovely Enfield, Laing Homes is selling Jerome Walk, an attractive mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments and spacious three-bedroom houses. The homes have Bosch integrated kitchens and superb bathrooms – and selected homes offer double shower en suites. Brimsdown train station is within easy reach, and there is a choice of rail stations within Enfield as a whole. London Liverpool Street is just 26 minutes away from Brimsdown station, making it perfect for busy commuters.
Mill Hill is one of London’s best-kept suburban secrets, characterised by rolling, tree-blessed landscapes. Here Michael Shanly Homes is selling superb two-bedroom contemporary apartments at Regal Court, located in Holders Hill Road, near Mill Hill East tube. Buyers have snapped up half of the homes in just four weeks, which means interested parties had better act quickly. The show apartment is open Thursday to Monday 10am to 5pm. Contact Jeremy Leaf & Co on 020 8446 4295.
Banner Homes is catering to the home buying public’s love of the bungalow at its Rowland Park development in Elstree Road, Bushey.

Rowland’s Park is a development of 15 new detached, terraced and chalet bungalow homes currently being launched off-plan. Shelley West, Banner Homes’ sales manager, says, ‘These properties are in a very sought-after area and this, combined with the fact that there are three chalet bungalows on site, means that we expect a lot of interest. New bungalows are a rarity these days, and as such they are in high demand.’
The two-, three- and four-bedroom homes at Rowland Park will all contain Banner’s renowned high standard of fixtures and fittings, including professionally designed kitchens, stylish white bathroom sanitaryware and co-ordinating fitted wardrobes, as well as the latest in modern technology.
Purchasers at Rowland Park, which is named after the family who used to own the land on which it is built, can choose to modify and personalise the interiors of their homes via the Banner Homes Advantage collection, subject to stage of build. Items such as alarm systems and water softeners can also be chosen as part of the collection. A show home is expected to be unveiled next month.
Bushey train station offers excellent rail connections into London Euston with a journey time of around 40 minutes. For motorists, the M1 and M25 open up the South and North respectively. The London Underground stations at either Stanmore or Watford are just three miles away.
Prices at Rowland Park range from £350,000 to £650,000. For further information contact estate agent Preston Bennett on 020 8954 8626. Visit banner-homes.co.uk.

Other tempting suburban locations from Banner Homes include Marsh Point, Pinner, where there is one apartment remaining, priced at £409,950; Hawksley Manor, Radlett, where the are three remaining properties are priced between £485,000 and £660,000; and Compass Place, Edgware, which offers four remaining homes, including two show apartments, at prices from £385,000 to £435,000.

Since its launch, St Michael’s Park, KingsOak North London’s vibrant new community at Bushey in Hertfordshire, has become phenomenally popular – in fact only four two-bedroom penthouses remain for sale, priced from just £294,950.
‘Buyers who wish to move to what has become one of the most requested new schemes around had better hurry,’ advised Nina Fitzgerald, sales manager of KingsOak North London. ‘Due to exceptional demand and a constantly high level of buyer interest, we are now selling the final few homes.’
Each of the remaining properties benefits from bright, sunny accommodation throughout, including a useful study and sizeable living area and en-suite facilities. There are also terraces and two private parking bays allocated to each apartment. St Michael’s Park has the added bonus of a secure gated entrance.
The development is open from daily from 10am to 6pm. For full details call 01923 238137 or visit kingsoakhomes.

At Annington Mews, first-time buyers are being offered the excellent incentive of five per cent deposit paid – bringing prices to a very reasonable starting point of £223,202. Just under a mile from Stanmore tube at the end of the Jubilee Line, these homes offer practicality for everyday living – and each home comes with a garden and a parking space. Homes have just gone on sale and an overwhelming response is expected.
The homes will be sold on a first come, first served basis in order to eliminate the risk of gazumping and prevent bidding wars. This makes for a stress-free home buying process that saves time and money – over £12,000 in fact. Call the on-site sales office on 020 8954 7716.

A very desirable suburban location is to be found as the Thames winds its way west of the capital – and the Hampton Court area is particularly prized. In East Molesey, brand new homes are a fairly rare commodity, so interest will be very high in two large, beautifully designed properties by Silver Homes which are currently nearing completion.
The exceptional semi-detached homes at Regentswood, in Palace Road, are traditionally constructed and have four storeys and offer spectacular, spacious living accommodation. Each has five bedroom – two with en suite facilities – as well as three reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, utility, family bathroom, two cloakrooms and integral garage.
The location is absolutely ideal, whether you wish to commute into London or shop locally. Hampton Court station is within easy walking distance, while drivers will find quick access to the M3/M25. Kingston is a short drive away, with its wealth of major stores and boutiques. Both in Kingston and Hampton Court, excellent upmarket cafés, restaurants and pubs offer a wide choice of ways to catch up with friends and enjoy an evening.
The homes benefit from concrete floors on all levels, dramatically reducing noise between floors. Designer kitchens offer black granite work surfaces and an array of Siemens integrated appliances. There is also the latest sound, vision and internet wiring to make both relaxing and working much more high-tech.
The homes are offered with a guide price of £1.25 million. For further information call selling agents Helas Wolf on 01932 8920222 or visit silver-homes.co.uk.

In highly sought-after and commuter-friendly Leatherhead, Surrey, Barratt offers Kingston Square, where over half of the apartments have been sold – even before the roof has gone on! A new show home is opening this month, which will make brisk business even more frenetic.
Kingston Square is located on Buffers Lane, just off the main Kingston Road and a few minutes’ drive from junction 9 of the M25. Leatherhead town centre, with its good shopping and direct rail connection to London, is only a ten-minute walk away.

The 40 one- and two-bedroom apartments are housed in an attractive three-storey building set in landscaped grounds. Each apartment has an allocated parking space – and most of the two-bedroom apartments have two of them! Two-bedroom apartments offer an en suite shower room to the master bedroom as well as a second bathroom, ideal for investors or sharers. There is a choice of separate kitchen or open-plan kitchen and living area.
Barratt is also offering some astounding incentives to first-time buyers, including five per cent deposit, stamp duty and legal fees (up to £1,000) paid. And for investors, Barratt will guarantee a seven per cent return on the purchase price in rental income for one year. Prices start at £194,995 for one-bedroom apartments and £230,995 for two-bedrooms. Call 01372 383338.

Finally, with a look at the eastern end of London’s suburbia, Higgins Homes offers The East Village in Dagenham, where a new show apartment has just been launched. The East Village consists of 179 one- and two-bedroom apartments on Reede Road. The location is extremely convenient – both Dagenham Heathway and Dagenham East District Line stations are nearby, make for a simple commute.
Kitchens are designed by Urban Myth and feature integrated stainless steel appliances. Bathrooms feature simple white Ideal Standard sanitaryware and chrome fittings. There is an audio entryphone system as well as provision for satellite TV. Prices start at £139,995. For further information call 020 8517 7887 or visit higginshomes.co.uk.

Crest Nicholson emphasises the desire to live in a close-knit community – without giving up the modern perks – as a major plus in its Brookshill Gate development in Harrow Weald. And indeed this is one of the main reasons people feel more at home in a satellite town than in the metropolis.
Situated in acres of landscaped grounds, Brookshill Gate consists of 18 spacious two-bedroom apartments. The exclusive scheme provides a traditional brick and render façade that gives a modern interpretation of the Victorian mansion buildings to be found in stylish urban areas such as Kensington and Chelsea. Each property is accessed via a gated security entrance, which adds to peace of mind. And once inside, the advantages just keep coming.

The approximately 900 sq ft of living space includes a spacious reception room with defined living and dining areas, and large bay windows provide an abundance of natural light. Receptions have large French doors opening on to a patio or balcony, allowing residents to really enjoy the mature landscaped grounds. There is a separate fully fitted kitchen/breakfast room (and some of these have Juliet balconies). Luxurious master suites have built-in wardrobes and an en suite shower room. There is also a spacious double guest bedroom with a luxury guest bathroom.
These homes will appeal equally to a first-time buyer couple, young professional, downsizers or investors. Only four properties now remain, priced from £319,950. Call the marketing suite on 0870 300 0820.

Laing Homes has launched Woodgate Court, a collection of properties in West End Road, Ruislip, Middlesex. The development will incorporate a collection of highly individual one- and two-bedroom apartments in this sought-after area. All homes have attractive contemporary architecture, inspired interior design and high specification offering the best in stylish modern living. Externally, the development will be landscape designed, incorporating a striking variety of flora and fauna.
This select development is superbly placed to take advantage of Ruislip’s wide selection of bars, eateries and shopping facilities. It also offers easy commuting to London from South Ruislip tube station, with a journey time of just 35 minutes to Tottenham Court Road. By road, Ruislip is linked via the A40, providing a direct route into London to the east as well as connecting with the M40 to the west.
For further information please contact the sales and marketing suite, open seven days a week from 10am  5pm, on 020 8845 2475.

Nothing sums up suburbia like Surbiton, where Intro Homes’ Avenue Heights is building its first development outside London. AAP Architecture has designed an elegant four-storey building containing 11 apartments – two with one bedroom and nine with two bedrooms. Each home has its own covered parking space. Of the two-bedroom apartments, there are two prime residences: a duplex apartment split over the first and second floors and a large top-floor penthouse of 1,300 sq ft, characterised by sloping walls and dormer windows and with the bonus of its own balcony.

Work is due to be completed by March 2006. Prices have yet to be released but Intro Homes will be taking ‘early bird’ reservations prior to the show home opening in January. A £500 deposit reserves the chosen apartment until the official price is known; at this point the buyer may either purchase or cancel with the deposit returned in full. Get more information by calling 0800 169 6679.

Worcester Park, Surrey

Tinos Homes has created a new development of beautifully presented properties in Clarkes Avenue. Winchester Mews comprises a mews of five four-bedroom homes set back behind two spacious five-bedroom detached homes. Each home has a versatile bedroom (formerly a bonus room) measuring 290 x 450 sq ft, as well as parking for two cars. The detached homes each have a garage with remote-controlled door and a light and airy conservatory with attractive wood laminate floor. Luxury kitchens have De Dietrich stainless steel oven and hob, integrated appliances and waste disposal units. Prices range from £299,950 to £249,950 and a range of incentives is available. Call Andrews on 020 8335 9265.

Earlsfield, London

Orchard Mews is a select development by bespoke builders Lencrest Homes Ltd of just five three- and four-bedroom homes in their own private close behind remote-controlled security gates. Features include dining room with attractive bay window and a living room with direct access to the landscaped garden. Earlsfield station is 750 metres away. There is also allocated parking. Prices from £475,000. Call Andrews on 020 8944 9044.

Mitcham, Surrey

Nucleus Design and Build has created a unique development of just three new homes within a small gated community. Cedar House is a stunning ultra-modern four-bedroom detached home over three floors, while Cedar Lodge offers a pair of two-double-bedroom semi-detached houses. Electric gates give access to a courtyard area with secure parking and mature trees. Call selling agents Andrews on 020 8648 0893.

Carshalton, Surrey

The Square is a select development of two detached four-bedroom family homes by St Andrews Properties. The homes feature William Ball designer kitchen/breakfast rooms with Smeg appliances and three Villeroy and Boch bathrooms. Carshalton station is two-thirds of a mile away, providing a convenient service to Victoria, while the A217 gives access to the M25. Prices from £545,000. Call Andrews on 020 8669 2234.

Wimbledon, London

With Warwick House, Michael Shanly Homes offers an opportunity to purchase a generously proportioned two-bedroom apartment in this very attractive and convenient location. The specification is high-level and includes designer kitchens with granite work surfaces and a range of integrated appliances. Prices range from £395,000 to £450,000. For more information contact selling agents Allen Briegel on 020 8946 2323 or visit allenbriegel.co.uk.

Stevenage, Hertfordshire

Fairlands Mews is a Crest Nicholson development os 32 two-bedroom apartments and 28 two- and three-bedroom houses. Situated just off Six Hills Way, the scheme is just two miles from the A1 and under a mile from Stevenage station. Prices for two-bedroom apartments start at £179,950, while two-bedroom houses start at £194,950; three-bedroom houses are priced from £219,950. Call 0870 755 1644.

Bletchley, Buckinghamshire

George Wimpey South Midlands has opened three stunning show homes at Mathison Grange, a development of three-, four- and five-bedroom homes just half a mile from the town centre. The location, a short drive from Milton Keynes, is within easy reach of the M1 and Bletchley rail station. Prices start at £203,995. To find out more call 01908 643466 or visit georgewimpey.co.uk.

From countryside to commuter belt, Kent has some excellent new homes to offer today’s buyer. Johnny Turner has a look.

Whatever type or size of home you’re after, Kent has all the answers. The county offers outstanding natural beauty, as well as fantastic transport options to London, the South East and the Continent, not to mention very well placed amenities. In short, this is a highly desirable and affordable place in which to make a home.

Jones Homes offers luxury accommodation with its trademark high standard of design, construction and specification. And the company’s emphasis on customer satisfaction means buyers get an exceptional standard of service, choice and value. The company currently offers a number of high-quality developments in and near the county of Kent. Starting in Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppey, The Poplars at Kingsborough Manor is a development of executive four-bedroom detached homes situated on large plots. There is ample parking and prices range from £305,000 to £390,000.

In popular Maidstone, meanwhile, Jones Homes is selling the first release of two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments at Kingsgate, a select development with easy access to the M20 and Maidstone town centre. Prices start at £200,000. And coming soon to Ashford, an extremely well connected town with excellent amenities, is a further Jones Homes development, The Orchards at Barming & Henwood.
In Sussex, meanwhile, Jones Homes is selling Chatsworth Strand at Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne. This variety of unique homes and apartments is priced from £160,000 for two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments and from £230,000 for four-bedroom town houses.
Churchwood Place in St Leonards, Hastings, offers four-bedroom town houses from £220,000 and four-bedroom detached homes from £245,000. And at Knowle Place in popular Crowborough, only two homes still remain of the collection of four-bedroom town houses on a small development within walking distance of the station. There are excellent links to both the capital and the coast. Prices from £250,000. For more information about any of the above developments visit jones-homes.co.uk or call 01322 665000.

Bermac Properties enters the Kentish property market with an exciting new scheme of apartments being built in Maidstone. Work is currently underway on 24 contemporary-style two-bedroom apartments situated on Knightrider Street. These homes provide lifestyle appeal for a range of discerning buyers, with general living space in a variety of designs.

The apartments will ideally suit first time buyers, commuters and professionals as well as investors. All apartments come with allocated parking, included in the selling price, as well as high-specification features including integrated data and home entertainment systems, first-class kitchens with integrated appliances and modern bathrooms. There will also be landscaped communal gardens.
The central location, a few minutes’ walk from the town centre, provides good access to shops, local amenities and commuter links. And for an escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life, the coastal towns of Sheerness, Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs are within easy reach.
Off-plan enquiries are currently being taken. And as interest in the new apartments is high, early enquiries are advised. Call Duncan Fletcher at Hawksley Pearce on 01621 893589.

Centex2020 offers fantastic incentives on its Visions development in Gillingham – great for both first-time buyers and existing home owners. For first-timers, the hard-to-resist ‘Move in for £500’ deal on these superb three-bedroom houses requires just what it says on the tin: with only a £500 reservation fee to pay, the buyer will find that Centex2020 will pay the five per cent deposit, as well as stamp duty and legal fees. Depending on the price of the home, this could save you more than £11,000 on what you would normally have to find to fund the purchase.
And for existing home owners who want to move up, Centex2020 may be able to help by part-exchanging the current property. Based on valuations from local agents, the company will offer the full market price for your existing home. This takes away the stress and uncertainty of trying to sell and buy separately.
The three-bedroom homes at Visions have accommodation arranged on three floors, including a useful separate study. The homes, which also offer an allocated parking space, are priced from £195,500. The spacious four-bedroom homes are available from £239,950.
Visions is located on Grange Road, off Gads Hill in Gillingham. The sales suite and show homes are open daily from 10am to 5pm. Call 0845 676 0219.

Construction is now under way at Phoenix Parc, a new development by Bellwinch Homes in Northfleet. The scheme sill provide 130 brand new homes as part of a consortium development on a nine-acre brownfield site adjacent to the new Ebbsfleet International station.
Most of the homes will be two-bedroom apartments with landscaped first-floor decks concealing undercroft parking. There will also be a choice of three- and four-bedroom houses, each set in its own garden. Some will have private garages and the rest will benefit from allocated parking spaces. Two landscaped areas of open space will be provided, and Bellwinch will also be providing a day nursery on the development
An underground pedestrian link will give direct access to Ebbsfleet International station, which, on completion, will offer a direct train service to London St Pancras as well as a rail link to the Channel Tunnel.
The first homes at Phoenix Parc will launch next month. To register your interest and get further information as it becomes available, phone the sales hotline on 020 8902 7838.

Barratt is currently selling two high-quality schemes in Maidstone, one of Kent’s most well-loved towns. Riverside Plaza offers stunning contemporary two-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom houses in an idyllic riverside setting just a short stroll from the town centre. Many of the homes have balconies with magnificent views of the River Medway, an irresistible perk of this great location. The development also has its own exclusive fitness suite.
Prices for apartments start at £199,995, while three-bedroom houses are priced from £359,950. Future availability will include one-bedroom apartments and four-bedroom houses. Call 01622 672412 for more information.

Also in Maidstone, Spectrum offers two-bedroom apartments and three- and four-bedroom houses in a wonderful location near the town centre. Residents will be able to take full advantage of the abundant shopping facilities, not only in Maidstone but also in the twin retail paradises of Lakeside and Bluewater. The location also puts you within easy walking distance of a great variety of pubs, restaurants and nightlife, while beautiful countryside is also very nearby.
Current availability includes four-bedroom homes, priced from £269,950. Call 01622 764267.

Gillcrest Homes is offering great deals on homes at Honeywood in Ashford Road, Harrietsham. Plot 9, priced at £162,995, is a two-bedroom luxury apartment – and this property has the added incentive of a five per cent deposit paid deal. Meanwhile, plot 14 has a choice of cashback or discount of £10,000 plus stamp duty paid and rear garden landscaped, or five per cent deposit paid. Both of the deals at Honeywood are subject to 28-day exchange of contracts and completion by 28 October.
Find out more about these deals and others by contacting Gillcrest Homes’ head office on 0845 230 3463.

Tunbridge Wells is one of Kent’s most genteel locales, and it is here that Brand New Homes is currently selling Court Royal, an exclusive new development of 30 luxurious one- and two-bedroom apartments and penthouses for over-55s. Situated in the sought-after Broadwater Down conservation area, the generously sized apartments are located in two separate buildings and offer enough space to accommodation family, guests and friends alike.
The 400-year-old spa town is ideal for today’s need for good connections and natural beauty. The A21 is near Court Royal, offering access to coastal towns and major airports, while train journeys to London take well under an hour.

Court Royal has good security, with video entry and CCTV, and purchasers can also make use of the Concierge Plus Service, which provides security and personal assistance. The concierge can organise nights out, travel arrangements and offer assistance in an emergency.
Prices for the remaining apartments start at £219,950. For further information or to visit the show apartment, contact the sales and marketing suite on 01892 532300.

Millwood Designer Homes has launched its stunning Stedlyn Retreat development, located in Lynsted. The collection of just 22 three-, four-, five- and six-bedroom homes offers the ideal home for a wide range of purchasers, from growing families to downsizers to investors.
All homes at Stedlyn Retreat will have individually crafted fully fitted kitchens by James Theobald, complete with stainless steel appliances and stylish Porcelanosa tiling. Bathrooms have luxury white suites and contemporary chrome fittings.
Find out more about these very desirable homes on 01732 770991.

Redrow Homes has sold 50 per cent of the apartments at Quay West in Chatham, despite the fact that a view apartment has just now become available. Prospective buyers can now see the standard of style and spec on offer. The apartments feature an open-plan living, kitchen and dining area, and two-bedroom apartments have the extra advantage of an en suite to the master bedroom. Find out more about prices and availability at Quay West by calling 01634 893992.

Asprey Homes offers one last chance to purchase at Trinity Place in Orpington, as eight of the nine exclusive four-bedroom detached homes have now been sold. The development is ideal for families, as there are excellent schools nearby, along with an extensive range of shops and leisure facilities.
A range of incentives is now being offers, including such deals as part exchange and stamp duty capped at two per cent. The last remaining home is priced at £510,000. Call appointed selling agents George Proctor on 020 8467 3333.

CALA Homes is a master of combining superior design and build quality with affordability. We check in on some of the latest CALA developments on the market.

Wherever in the South East buyers have their eye on, the current sites from CALA Homes are sure to attract interest. Purchasers are taking a bit longer to commit to a particular property at the moment, preferring to make sure that they’re getting a quality home at the best price they can get. However, these developments by CALA are wooing a wide range of buyers with the combination of top-level design and build quality, high specification and convenient location.

Wellington Mews
Crowthorne, Berkshire

Situated in the quaint village of Crowthorne, this development of 25 spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments offers the perfect home for first-time buyers and empty nesters. Ranging from 520 sq ft to over 1,000 sq ft in size, each apartment offers a well proportioned lounge/dining area and separate kitchen as well as an en-suite bathroom. The development offers car ports and/or secure parking spaces and mature, landscaped gardens. All the apartments have high specification including audio entry systems, stylish bathroom suites and designer kitchens. Prices start from £169,950. For further information call 01344 773817 or visit the show home open daily from 10.30am to 5pm.

Focus
Camberley, Surrey

This stunning development of competitively priced one- and two-bedroom apartments features exceptional design and quality throughout. Focus comprises a vibrant collection of 98 one- and two-bedroom apartments ranging in size from approximately 400 sq ft to 1,000 sq ft. The development is situated in a much sought-after area of Camberley, in close proximity to the town centre with its wide range of amenities and shops. Prices start at £178,500. For further information call 01276 675341 or visit the show home, open daily from 10am to 5pm.

Norfolk Grange
Tunbridge Wells, Kent

This development has been a huge success from the start and now only seven remain for sale. With its superior location situated within minutes of the town centre, Norfolk Grange offers three luxury apartment buildings: Mews, Heights and Villas. Great emphasis has been placed on the development’s architecture and interior design. The three buildings have been designed to echo the tradition of fine architectural values for which Royal Tunbridge Wells has always been admired. The apartments are designed to a high specification and the attention to detail and quality of finish are exceptional. Prices range from £394,950 to £454,950. For further information call 01892 614238 or visit the show apartment, open daily from 11am to 5pm.

Cala Domus
Newhall, Essex

This award winning development forms the latest phase of the nationally acclaimed Newhall project in Harlow. DOMUS provides 74 dwellings comprising an imaginative mix of apartments, maisonettes, live/work houses, linked and detached houses and duplex and triplex apartments situated in the magnificent Copper Sun Mill. Each property has been designed to offer something architecturally different and quite unique. The extensive use of glass opens up the already spacious interiors, allowing warm summer sun or crisp winter light to stream in if desired, connecting the interior and exterior environment and resulting in a highly energy-efficient home that makes the most from passive solar gain. Prices at CALA DOMUS start at £220,000. For further information call 01279 416660 or visit the show home, open daily from 11am to 5pm.

Boundary Park
Weybridge, Surrey

Situated in the prestigious area of Weybridge, Boundary Park is the perfect place to call home for those who appreciate the finer things in life. This exclusive development offers just six detached houses comprising five bedrooms, with an additional bonus room with en-suite bathroom in the attic. The properties range from an impressive 2,900sq ft to 4,000 sq ft in size with exceptional specification throughout the homes. Viewers have been so impressed that already four of the six properties have been snapped up. The two remaining houses offer 2,960 sq ft priced at £1,159,000 and 4,000 sq ft at £1,659,000. For further information, call 01932 259945 or visit the new show home, open daily from 10am to 5.30pm.

Jardin Vert
Sunningdale, Berkshire

This exclusive development offers just three detached homes of the Aldenham, Claridge and Longbourne CALA house types. All three of the new luxury homes will boast extremely high specification on all fixtures and fittings and feature CALA’s unique top-floor bonus room. The five-bedroom houses will range from an impressive 2,576 to 4,180 sq ft in size and benefit from a wide range of features including high quality Villeroy & Boch sanitaryware complemented by the Phillippe Starck range of Hansgrohe showers and taps. The properties will also have underfloor heating on the ground and first floors. Prices start from £1,195,000. For further information call 01932 259945.

Silverwood
Sunningdale, Berkshire

The private gated Silverwood development will consist of 11 two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments – all with their own garages as well as ample visitor parking. In addition to unrivalled specification, the majority of apartments will benefit from large terraces or balconies. All residents will have access to the beautiful mature gardens, which will feature tennis courts. Prices start from £390,000. For further information contact CALA Homes on 01784 225315.

Longfield Grove
Dorking, Surrey

Despite the fact that the foundations not yet been laid, this development has already had its first reservation. Boasting 30 units, Longfield Grove will comprise a stunning mix of two-bedroom apartments and maisonettes, three-bedroom semi-detached and four-bedroom detached houses. Prices are anticipated to start from £260,000. For further information, contact the sales office on 01306 881822.

Developers are making great new living environments out of disused land and buildings. Johnny Turner sees what’s new in the regeneration game.

With demand for residential property far outpacing supply, developers have shown great savvy in their choice of disused space and structures to transform into homes. Everything from churches to cinemas, pubs to petrol stations have been the subject of regeneration. And the current market contains an array of types, styles and locations from which to select your perfect home.

Weston Homes has made regeneration a priority, which can be seen by the sheer number of sites they are in the process of obtaining. Weston is currently negotiating on over 2,600 plots of brownfield land across the Thames Gateway – an investment potentially worth £500 million – in order to build a new portfolio of homes in the region.

The Thames Gateway, which spreads from the City of London out to Southend in Essex and the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, is front and centre in the government’s plan to dramatically increase the number of homes available in the South East. And Weston’s ambitions are in keeping with the goal to redress the supply/demand imbalance from which the region currently suffers.
Weston has just received planning permission for 48 new apartments in two schemes in Southend. The first will be on the site of a former petrol station on Southchurch Road and will provide 24 one- and two-bedroom apartments in a four-storey tiered building. The scheme will launch in late 2005 with prices from around £135,000. The second scheme will turn a Masonic lodge on Woodgrange Drive into 24 one- and two-bedroom apartments, to be launched early next year at prices from approximately £140,000.

Among Weston’s currently available sites, Chambers Place in Purfleet provides 140 one- and two-bedroom apartments in a series of two- and three-storey buildings designed around landscaping and parking facilities. The location is ideal for transport connections, being close to the station and the Dartford Crossing over the Thames. Prices start at £145,000. Contact the marketing suite on 01708 864252.

Dagenham is another area of Essex that is seeing a revival in terms of amenities and housing. And here The East Village is a Higgins Homes development that combines proximity to London with elegant, uncluttered style. The scheme consists of 179 one- and two-bedroom apartments on Reede Road. The location is extremely convenient – both Dagenham Heathway and Dagenham East District Line stations are nearby, make for a simple commute.
Kitchens are designed by Urban Myth and feature integrated stainless steel appliances. Bathrooms feature simple white Ideal Standard sanitaryware and chrome fittings. There is an audio entryphone system as well as provision for satellite TV.
A new show apartment has just opened. Prices start at £139,995. For further information call 020 8517 7887 or visit higginshomes.co.uk.

East London is the epicentre of one of the most exciting regeneration projects in British history, as the 2012 Olympic Games is the spur for a massive redevelopment programme. Besides the obvious components of an Olympic facelift, such a new stadium and Olympic Village, the East End will see the construction of thousands of new homes.
Widacre Homes is offering EastSide, a modern-style development of 132 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments arranged around a tranquil piazza square. The scheme is a short walk from Bow Road District Line tube and Bow Church DLR, making it ideal for those who work in the City or Canary Wharf. And the transport picture will improve even further in 2007 with the opening of Stratford International station, with its direct connection to Paris or Brussels in less than two and a half hours.
Fraser Wells, managing director of Widacre Homes, points to the fact that EastSide is equally attractive to owner-occupiers and investment purchasers. ‘EastSide is situated in a strong rental catchment area with excellent growth potential for anyone who chooses to buy at the early stage of Bow’s regeneration.’
Prices currently start at £179,950 for one-bedroom apartments and £242,450 for two-bedroom apartments. Call Strettons Residential on 020 7422 0989 for more information.

Also in the East End, Rydon Homes offers The Nordic Apartments, a project that is spearheading the swift regeneration of the E1 area. The homes are beautifully modern and boast a fantastic location only 400m from the River Thames. As the collection of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments is a ten-minute walk from Canary Wharf, these homes are perfect for today’s busy professional. Shadwell DLR and tube are just 800m away, putting the rest of London within easy reach; Bank, for instance, is only four minutes away by DLR.

Many of the apartments have spacious open-plan layouts and there are some exclusive two- and three-bedroom penthouses with private balconies or terraces as well. There are stylish kitchens by Commodore with a full range of appliances, while bathrooms have elegant white suites. There is wooden flooring to the kitchen, living area and hallways.
Prices start from just £187,950. The marketing suite is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm – and at other times strictly by appointment. Call 020 7780 1580 or visit nordic-cool.co.uk.

Two new, contrasting show apartments have just opened at VizioN7, a joint residential development by Taylor Woodrow and George Wimpey in conjunction with Arsenal Football Club. Part of the redevelopment of the Highbury end of Holloway, the project includes the building of the Emirates Stadium, which replaces the old home of the Gunners.

Over half of the development is sold and the first purchasers are moving in now. Meanwhile, a new release to coincide with the launch of the show flats will bring to the market some of the best apartments on the scheme – and one-bedroom apartments start at a surprisingly low £230,000. There is a 24-hour concierge, and gated underground parking is available at an additional cost.
The location is excellent, with shops, restaurants and transport connections close to hand. The local Waitrose is a definite bonus, and nearby Upper Street is less than ten minutes on the bus, providing literally hundreds of places to eat, shop and have fun. Piccadilly Line tube services from Holloway Road are just a few minutes’ walk, while Highbury & Islington station has trains into the City as well as tubes into the West End.
Find out more about this impressive scheme by calling the on-site sales and marketing suite on 020 7700 7555 or visiting vizion7.co.uk

One trend when it comes to regeneration is to build upwards, thereby getting more living space without taking up precious lateral square footage. Upcoming projects include St George’s 49-storey Vauxhall Tower, while the buyers of today are finding a lot to like in Aragon Tower in Deptford. Berkeley Homes’ regeneration project took as its subject a former ex-local authority tower block, adding extra floors and turning it into a modern, 29-floor high-spec example of stacked-up style.
Berkeley has just launched a collection of 14 two- and three-bedroom penthouses at Aragon Tower, and has also unveiled a brand new sales and marketing suite. The homes have both single-storey and duplex versions and offer spacious riverside living, not to mention unbelievable views over London’s beautiful cityscape.

Residents who work in the City or Canary Wharf are offered a simple and novel way to get to work: from Greenland Pier, which is only minutes away, you can take the river taxi to Canary Wharf (five minutes) and London Bridge (17 minutes). Find out more about Aragon Tower by calling 020 8331 7272.
Also in south-east London is Bellway’s Meridian South, the £100 million redevelopment of the 11.5-acre site of the former Hither Green Hospital. Located at Hither Green Lane, the development brings together housing with health, community, retail and commercial facilities, as well as access to public transport. The strong, coherent design is creating a new urban quarter where people will want to live, work and enjoy leisure time.

A furnished one-bedroom show apartment is open in Draco House, a five-storey building of 88 apartments. One-bedroom apartments in this building are priced from £180,995, and there are also some attractive incentives currently operating: Bellway is offering to pay purchasers’ five per cent deposit, one per cent stamp duty and legal fees up to £500, as well as £2,000 towards the furniture package.
The first residents moved into Draco House in May and construction of the entire development is scheduled for completion in September 2007. Call the sales office for more information on 0845 071 2085 or visit bellway.co.uk.

Regeneration is not restricted to the capital, of course. There are quite a few brownfield schemes either currently underway or just announced in other areas of the South East, from genteel locales offering a tranquil setting to thriving mini-urban areas which emphasise convenience and leisure pursuits. And two good examples have been announced.

KingsOak Homes is set to revitalise the popular Tylers Green area with a new scheme of homes on the site of a former home for the elderly at Penn, Buckinghamshire. Ashwell Gardens will feature a choice of six particularly large refurbished apartments, complemented by two three-bedroom newly build semi-detached homes and 16 two-bedroom apartments.

As a listed building, the former nursing home will be sympathetically restored by KingsOak using its expertise in the area of brownfield regeneration and listed building refurbishment, says Bob Rutherford, sales director of KingsOak Thames Valley. ‘Ashwell Gardens will give us the opportunity to demonstrate our expertise in the restoration area, as well as create a selection of much-needed homes to satisfy strong buyers demand,’ he says. ‘We anticipate that this new scheme will be very popular.’

Penn is an exclusive location near Beaconsfield and Amersham in the Chiltern Hills. Popular with commuters for its easy road and rail links to central London, it is a delightful village location with a wealth of history; indeed, this location was the home of William Penn, after whom Pennsylvania was named. Register your interest by calling 01628 629111.

Jones Homes complete the three principal divisions, with Orbit Developments and Emerson International that form The Emerson Group.

Founded over 40 years ago, The Emerson Group is one of the largest privately owned property development companies in the UK.
The Group retains a substantial portfolio of commercial properties throughout the UK and Internationally has put its considerable expertise into leisure, residential and commercial
developments in Europe and North America.

The trademark of a Jones home is luxury accommodation coupled with a high standard of design, construction and specification.
Whilst maintaining traditional values, Jones Homes continues to adapt to the changing needs of its customers.  Listening to homebuyers and researching new products enable Jones Homes to offer the latest layout, appearance and style.
Ultimately we depend on customer satisfaction and Jones Homes provides an exceptional
standard of service, choice and value.  Jones homebuyers can rely on the company’s customer care department to provide a responsive and thorough after sales service.

Jones Homes (Southern)Ltd have been operating in the South and South East for 10 years and have recently been awarded the NHBC ‘Pride In The Job’ quality award for site management on their development at Chatsworth strand, Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne.

Jones Homes are currently offering the chance to acquire a wide selection of properties from select developments across Kent & Sussex;

Chatsworth Strand, Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne. Offering a variety of unique homes and
apartments. 2 bedroom / 2 bathroom apartments from £160,000. 4 bedroom townhouses from £230,000

Churchwood Place, St Leonards, Hastings.  4 Bedroom townhouses from £220,000  
4 Bedroom detached homes from £245,000  

The Poplars, Kingsborough Manor, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey
Executive 4 bedroom detached homes with double garage situated on large plots with ample
parking. Prices £305,000 to £390,000

Kingsgate, London Road, Maidstone
First release of 2 bed/2 bath apartments on this select development with easy access to M20 motorway and Maidstone Town Centre, Prices from £200,000

Knowle Place, Crowborough
4 Bedroom townhouses on a small development within walking distance to station and offering excellent links to London and South Coast. LAST 2 REMAINING, PRICED AT £250,000

Coming soon: The Orchards, Barming & Henwood, Ashford.
For more information on any of the above developments please visit our
website: www.jones-homes.co.uk or telephone 01322 665000

Southwark, London

The Bench comprises one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, some of which benefit from either a balcony or terrace with excellent views over the city skyline. The specification includes gas central heating with stylish contemporary tubular heaters, wiring for plasma screens and surround sound, communal Sky TV connection, chrome downlights and electrical fittings, burglar alarms, veneered oak flooring in the living room and limestone hallways. Kitchens have Neff appliances and granite work surfaces, while bathrooms include CP Hart Philippe Starck limestone-finished suites with sunken baths in a limestone surround, and there are fitted wardrobes to bedrooms. Nearby Southwark station gives access to the West End, Canary Wharf, City Airport and Waterloo rail station. There is an NHBC guarantee and 999-year lease. Call Deco Design & Build on 020 8313 1411 or visit or northstar-2000.com.

Storrington, West Sussex

Bellwinch Homes offers buyers the two-bedroom detached Rockley show house at The Glade, a popular development of just 19 homes. The Rockley, with two bedrooms and two parking spaces, is ideal for sharers who want to get on to the property ladder. The home is priced at £239,995, while other homes start at £299,995. Call 01903 745175 to find out more.

Wimbledon, London

With Warwick House, Michael Shanly Homes offers an opportunity to purchase a generously proportioned two-bedroom apartment in this very attractive and convenient location. The specification is high-level and includes designer kitchens with granite work surfaces and a range of integrated appliances. Prices range from £395,000 to £450,000. For more information contact selling agents Allen Briegel on 020 8946 2323 or visit allenbriegel.co.uk.

Beckenham, Kent

South East Living offers buyers the final chance to buy a superb apartment at its MVS, located in a prominent position on Beckenham Road. The remaining two apartments, priced at just £244,950 and £249,950, have two bedrooms, with an en suite shower room to the master bedroom, as well as balcony space. And South East Living is offering £20,000 cashback! Call Charles Eden on 020 8663 1964.

Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire

Fairview has built the ideal rural retreat for city dwellers and workers at Sparrows Herne, where commuters and downsizers are flocking to be the first to buy. Located in lush wooded countryside, Sparrows Herne offers 27 stylish one- and two-bedroom apartments set within landscaped grounds complete with mature trees. One-bedroom apartments start at £214,995 and two-bedroom apartments start at £249,995. Call 020 8950 7894.

Hatfield, Hertfordshire

Those interested in buying a home at George Wimpey’s Barrington Way in Salisbury Village will need to act quickly – only five high-quality four- and five-bedroom properties remain for sale. The five-bedroom detached Wealden offers spacious accommodation across three floors and is priced at £450,000; also for sale is the four-bedroom Whitchurch, priced from £357,000 and the five-bedroom Lavenham, at £456,000. Call 01707 267292.

Ascot, Berkshire

KingsOak has seen success in previous schemes by the famous Ascot racecourse and the newly launched development The Maples looks set to repeat the pattern. The Maples features a choice of 24 two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments, currently under construction at London Road. This select location is ideal for commuting into London Waterloo. For further details on this well located development call 01628 629111.

With the East End on the up and the Olympics on the way, east London goes from strength to strength. Johnny Turner looks in on a popular area.

East London is brim-full of regeneration at the moment, and those looking to live somewhere vibrant, artsy and unpretentious, with convenient transport and affordable prices, should look no further. With the 2012 Olympics heading to the area, the prospects for growth are phenomenal – but this is a part of London that has been on the up for some time. And the current crop of new homes illustrates this renaissance of the East End.

Starting in the heart of the East End, on Cable Street E1, many astute home buyers who are keen to make a good investment are heading to The Nordic Apartments. ‘We have seen a great deal of interest in The Nordic Apartments as many are realising the potential of the area,’ says Ann Fulker, sales and marketing director of Rydon Homes. Fulker points to the scheme’s proximity to the major employment areas of the capital as additional reasons for the high buyer interest. ‘There is a demand for schemes that are within walking distance of Canary Wharf as City workers are finding the convenience factor of living close to work and not needing to take public transport highly attractive. Also, the high quality of the specification and finish, along with its convenient location, means that an apartment is the ideal rental home. Many investors have recognised its financial benefits.’
Located just 400m from the River Thames and just ten minutes from Canary Wharf, this collection of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments are perfect for today’s busy professional. Shadwell DLR and tube are just 800m away, putting the rest of London within easy reach; Bank, for instance, is only four minutes away by DLR.

Many of the apartments have spacious open-plan layouts and there are some exclusive two- and three-bedroom penthouses with private balconies or terraces as well. There are stylish kitchens by Commodore with a full range of appliances, while bathrooms have elegant white suites. There is wooden flooring to the kitchen, living area and hallways.

Prices start from just £187,950. The marketing suite is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm – and at other times strictly by appointment. Call 020 7780 1580 or visit nordic-cool.co.uk.
The Olympics have, of course, caused quite a stir in the East End’s housing market, with the result that already popular developments have become even more sought-after. And EastSide, a collection of 132 apartments, from studios to two-beds, offers one of the best locations in terms of proximity to the 2012 Games.

Just a short walk from the future site of the Olympic village and stadium, EastSide will also offer further benefits that will accrue from London’s selection as host city: new swimming, cycling and hockey facilities in Stratford (just four minutes away by DLR) and the upgrading of Mile End Stadium. The local economy in Bow is also due to benefit immensely during the run-up to the Games. EastSide, developed by Widacre Homes and Circle 33 Lifespace, also offers that irresistible benefit – very affordable prices. The apartments start at £157,500 for a studio apartment, £179,950 for a one-bedroom apartment and £242,450 for two-bedrooms. For further sales information call Strettons Residential on 020 7422 0989.
Another nearby development in Bow is Fabrika, an imaginatively designed urban community on Old Ford Road. The homes will include 30 apartments for private sale, including a selection of one- and two-bedroom apartments and duplexes, as well as one four-bedroom house, three live/work homes and three very individual and unusual one/two bedroom houses.

The Peter Barber design for Fabrika successfully tackles many of the issues which are creating a challenge for high-density 21st-century urban living; the result is a celebration of the public social life of the street and the design promotes a buzzing public space made within the ‘hard edge’ of the buildings. The pedestrian street at the heart of the scheme runs between Old Ford Road and Parnell Road, with a public square at the centre, which will feature a specially commissioned piece of public art. The street connects with the existing neighbouring community alongside the canal, encouraging the general public to pass through. All in all, a very forward-looking and people-friendly scheme.
Each property at Fabrika is differently sized and shaped to accommodate the natural curve of the site, and this has resulted in the creation of some real ‘one-offs’, such as ‘The Wedge’, ‘Window One’ and ‘Window Two’ which are located at the north end of the site and provide unique and very interesting one- and two-bedroom accommodation with a south-facing aspect.

Apartments are priced from £174,950 for a one-bedroom, 515 sq ft unit, up to £259,950 for a two-bedroom apartments of 722 sq ft. Contact Strettons New Homes on 020 7422 0989 for more information.

Higgins Homes is selling Ozone, a collection of 25 high-specification two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments built above shops and offices on the Leyton Mills piazza. This development is designed to provide a living environment that is both serene and convenient for amenities – and the fact that 70 per cent of the homes have already been reserved speaks for itself.

Wide windows maximise natural light, while many apartments have private terraces and overlook the open, airy new piazza. High-level security includes an audio entryphone system, a mains-operated smoke detector and wiring for a burglar alarm system. There is also provision for satellite television in addition to terrestrial, as well as radio outlets to the reception, living room and bedrooms.
Leyton Underground station is under 500m from the development, with Stratford only one stop away; it is a very quick journey to the City, Canary Wharf or the West End. And of course with the recent announcement that London will host the 2012 Olympics, the area will be at the forefront of an exciting reimagining, encompassing not only sports facilities but also all types of amenities, housing, transport and landscaping. This is an ideal chance to buy into an area that both already pleasant and also ready to embark on an exciting transformation.

According to Jeremy Marcus, sales director of Higgins Homes, ‘Ozone provides purchasers not only with an excellent choice of contemporary apartments but also a multi-use development for all their recreational and everyday needs.’
Prices for the remaining apartments start at £249,950 for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. For further details contact the sales and marketing suite on 020 8558 3600 or visit higginshomes.co.uk.

MiNC Property is offering the final phase of Capulet Square in desirable E3. The development, located next to Bromley-by-Bow tube station, at the heart of the government’s regeneration scheme. It is also ideally placed for commuting into both the City and Canary Wharf.
Capulet Square currently offers a choice of 50 apartments in Wealden House, a five-storey building. The apartments offers such attractive features as Juliet balconies, car parking, terraces to the top floor penthouses and good security. One-bedroom apartments are priced from £190,000, while two-bedrooms start at £245,000 and three-bedrooms start at £330,000. Prospective purchasers should contact MiNC on 020 7536 2233.

Telford Homes is preparing to launch Icona, an architecturally striking new residential collection in Stratford – and this new development takes the builder to a whole new level of ambition. At its tallest the structure will rise to 18 storeys, and the scheme will provide 249 one- and two-bedroom apartments and penthouses. There will also be 325 square metres of retail space, very much part of the wider regeneration efforts currently underway in London’s next major transport and lifestyle hub.
Stratford itself is being reinvented before our very eyes, with four regeneration districts totalling over 170 acres of disused land acting as the scene of a new £4 billion urban centre set to rival Canary Wharf. And transport, already very well catered for in this area, will have the boost of a new Eurostar terminal in 2007 – to say nothing of the rewards of all the Olympic hoo-hah.

Icona is scheduled for completion in 2008. Prices range from £175,000 to £395,000. Contact Telford Homes on 0870 872 0987 or visit telfordhomes.plc.uk to register your interest.

We take a look at some exciting new homes in a very ambitious development.

With increasing numbers looking for a more balanced lifestyle, with more time for enjoying life, it is no wonder that developments bringing luxury and nature together are so popular. A good example of this trend is Fairfield Park, an imaginative project in Arlesey, Bedfordshire, near the Hertfordshire border. The scheme breathes new life into a former Grade II Victorian mental asylum and its 173 acres of grounds. The hospital was closed down in 1999 and became derelict, and is now the centre of a multi-million-pound scheme in which a consortium of builders will provide around 1,000 new homes.
The regeneration aspect of Fairfield Park is not its only attraction. Those who are tired of the thankless bustle of the city and keen to be part of a community have led the demand here; and this collection of homes is perfect for a lifestyle that makes room for the workaday world but also provides a contrasting experience that lets you recharge your batteries.

Fairfield Park, with all its natural beauty, also offers proximity to excellent transport links so residents really can have the best of both worlds. For commuters to London, Letchworth is a mile and a half away, from where regular trains run to King’s Cross (journey time approximately 35 minutes). There are also train links to Cambridge, Stevenage, Bedford and Luton. Meanwhile, motorists will be only two miles from the A1(M).

The new development is bringing about £4 million of investment to the local area, including a new lower school, the provision of a convenience store, a regular bus service and education contributions totalling £2.2 million. There will also be tennis courts, trim trails and play areas, in addition to the existing cricket and bowls amenities which have club membership facilities.
 ‘There is little doubt that Fairfield Park will be a great place to bring up your children,’ said project director Peter Sutton. ‘The whole design philosophy is to ensure that we create a strong sense of community.’

Educationally, the area is served well with pre-school, nursery, primary and secondary schools in Stotfold, Arlesey, Letchworth and Hitchin, as well as North Herts College, which offers further education opportunities. These nearby towns also offer a wealth of leisure, entertainment and shopping facilities, including cinemas, swimming pools, sports centres, golf courses, restaurants, bars and clubs. Transport-wise the area is lucky, with proximity to three mainline stations (Letchworth, Hitchin and Arlesey), which offer direct services into London King’s Cross and the North. And the major town of Stevenage, with its extensive transport links and leisure facilities, is within a 20-minute journey.
Bellway Homes is offering something special at Fairfield Park is Bellway Homes. Its Oakdene scheme presents 20 three-, four- and five-bedroom houses that offer not only wonderful indoor space but also ample opportunities to connect with nature. Set in mature parkland, the development has the advantage of offering plenty of space for everything from child’s play to ‘green exercise’, from quiet contemplation to brisk walks.

Cars are put in their place at Fairfield Park; necessary though they may be to modern living, a community is better served when the infrastructure of a community gives priority to cyclists and pedestrians. And this is exactly what has been done here; pedestrian walkways and a web of cycle paths throughout the mature parkland setting will enable residents to reach nearby Arlesey, Stotfold and Letchworth without the stress of being behind the wheel.
Chris Edginton, sales director of Bellway Northern Home Counties, says, ‘Oakdene has been designed to be in keeping with Fairfield Park and connect with the surrounding parkland area. The standard house design of modern living space will vary across the development with the use of reconstituted stone, generating a strong visual focus.’

Green policies are given more than lip service, Edginton points out. ‘Each house will have a water butt and water meter, compost bins, and bike storage facility, plus energy-efficient boilers and light fittings.’
Houses at Oakdene are priced from £330,000 for three bedrooms, £300,000 for four bedrooms and £400,000 for five bedrooms. All houses will have landscaped rear gardens. The marketing suite is open Thursday to Monday between 10am and 5pm. Call 01462 731580.

Twigden is another presence at Fairfield Park, and at its latest phase of development purchasers can choose from two-bedroom houses at £229,995, three-bedroom houses from £299,995, four-bedroom houses from £450,000 and five-bedroom houses from £525,000. The gatehouse show house has also just been released for sale, priced at £695,000; this includes carpets, curtains, light fittings, alarm system and beautifully landscaped gardens.

Additionally, one purchaser will be able to buy a six-bedroom Elizabeth house, an impressive three-storey home in a one-off design.
All of Twigden’s homes at Fairfield Park benefit from a high level of care and detail. And at this development which has been externally designed to replicate an urban Victorian landscaped, these homes give purchasers the choice between Victorian or contemporary interiors, according to house design.
Twigden’s show homes are open daily from 10am to 5pm, and a detailed scale modern enables prospective buyers to envisage how this attractive development will look on completion. For further information call the site sales team on 01462 684687.

Persimmon Homes is offering a variety of homes at Fairfield Park, including two-bedroom apartments, priced from £169,950, and three-, four- and five-bedroom houses. Three-bedroom houses start at £189,950, while four-bedrooms are priced from £307,500. Prices for five-bedroom houses are to be released soon.
The Persimmon sales office at Fairfield Park is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Call 0845 676 0189 to find out more.

A luxury detached house in sought-after Ascot, located within walking distance of the world-famous racecourse, definitely carries with it a price tag well within the seven-figure range. At least that’s what most would think, until they see Bellway’s Hanover Park development in Burleigh Road.
The new collection of spacious five-bedroom detached houses, situated approximately a 20-minute walk from Ascot racecourse, is priced between £925,000 and £995,000. All detached houses have front and rear gardens and the Newbury house type has a large driveway with landscaped area.
Set in a leafy residential neighbourhood that’s a haven of tranquillity, Hanover Park is surrounded by a ‘green buffer’ of mature trees providing a high degree of privacy. The site was formerly the Kennel Green nursery – and as areas of mature woodland have been retained, with around 30 per cent of the scheme given over to open space, residents will have plenty of opportunity to connect with nature.
Palvinder Thandi, sales director of Bellway South East, said: ‘It’s an extremely desirable location and we have taken great care to respect the area’s context, with houses of a high-quality design and construction standard that complement the surrounding area and maintain the tone of the built environment. The scheme has also been designed to respond to and connect with the woodland setting.’

There are also apartments at Hanover Park; 14 one- and two-bedroom apartments are available in the Warwick Apartments, with one-bedroom apartments priced from £290,000 and two-bedroom apartments priced from £315,000. The apartment building overlooks the mature woodland setting, providing home owners with great views.
Town houses are priced from £650,000 for five-bedrooms, £570,000 for four-bedrooms and £499,995 for three-bedrooms.

Located 25 miles to the west of central London, within the county of Berkshire, Ascot is approximately five miles to the north of junction 3 of the M3 motorway. Frequent trains run from Ascot’s mainline railway station to London Waterloo, with journey times of around 50 minutes.  

Ascot is a town with an enormous racing and fashion heritage. The town’s wide leafy high street offers a diverse range of boutiques, delicatessens and café dining. Windsor, just six miles away, has become well established as the centre of fashion outside London and boasts many designer shops and a number of excellent restaurants. Leisure facilities within the area include Wentworth, Sunningdale and Berkshire golf courses, as well as Smiths Lawn and the Royal Berkshire Polo Clubs.

The first residents moved into their homes this summer. The marketing suite and furnished five-bedroom show house and four-bedroom view house are open daily from 10am to 5pm (until 8pm on Thursday), when sales advisors can be contacted on 0845 071 2084.

Middlesex contains a wonderful range of area types, from Thames-side peace to suburban bliss. Well-connected, reasonably priced and genteel, this part of the South East is well worth a look for property-hunters.

In Sunbury on Thames, Bewley Homes is creating Heritage Gate, a superb gated development of just 11 three-, four- and five-bedroom family homes with generous internal and an entirely modern specification. These new homes, located within a mile of the Thames and close to excellent road, rail and air links, are priced from just £459,950 to £525,000. Further information is available from the sales office on 01932 783040.

Nearby in Lower Sunbury, Hawke Mews comprises six prestigious terraced homes just a quarter-mile from the heart of town. Conveniently close to central London by both car and train, this is an ideal living location for those who want to move easily between busy weekdays and relaxing home life.

Four of the properties are three-storey, while the two end-terrace houses feature two storeys. All have parking spaces to the front and gardens to the rear. Kitchens are fully fitted with top-quality appliances such as stainless steel hob and oven, fridge freezer and dishwasher as well as ceramic tiled flooring. Bathrooms feature pure white designer sanitaryware with chrome fittings, as well as white ladder heated towel rails and power showers.
The M3 starts at Sunbury, providing immediate access to the nearby M25 before carrying on its south-western journey through rural Hampshire to Southampton and the New Forest. Heathrow and Gatwick airports are both easily accessible via the M25, and the delightful hills and valleys of the North Downs are only a few miles to the south.  There are direct trains from Sunbury to London Waterloo which take approximately 50 minutes.

Prices start at £450,000 for a three-bedroom home and £550,000 for a four-bedroom home. Call Antler Homes on 01932 785164 or visit antlerhomes.co.uk.

Regeneration is big news in the county of Middlesex, where Barratt West London is working overtime to bring good-quality homes in completely reimagined environments. The umbrella name for several sites in the vicinity of Heathrow Airport is London Heathrow Quarter, and the results promise to be impressive indeed.

At Reflexion in Hounslow, Barratt is creating 334 private apartments as part of the rejuvenation of Hounslow town centre, incorporating 150 affordable homes as well as approximately 150,000 square feet of retail and leisure space to include an Asda supermarket, fitness centre, restaurant and bar facilities.

Featuring striking architecture, the iconic development dominates the skyline. There are plans to create a new pedestrian link to Hounslow Central tube station. Prices for the stunning apartments start from just £210,995 and information is available from the Barratt marketing suite on 020 8572 3668.

Scheduled for completion in 2008, Axiom is transforming Feltham town centre with over 800 apartments for private sale and shared ownership, together with new and refurbished retail spaces that will double the current provision, attracting key retailers to the town. A new library is scheduled to open in June and a health centre and hotel are also planned, along with new landscaped plazas and improvements to the High Street parade. Prices at Axiom start at just £199,995. Further information can be obtained by calling the marketing suite on 020 8867 0382.
Linden Homes’ Mode in Isleworth offers a range of two-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom houses with the great combination of high style and convenient location.
The nearby M4 and A4 offer easy access to Heathrow, ideal for those who travel abroad often. This means Mode is fantastic for the lock-up-and-leave lifestyle. Proximity to local amenities, as well as to the rail and tube network, make the scheme ideal for investors, professionals and families alike.

The show apartment demonstrates the high specification to be found. The designer kitchen has integrated stainless steel De Dietrich appliances. Both kitchens and bathrooms benefit from a choice of contemporary wall and floor tiles.
Mode has stylish, low-maintenance two-bedroom apartments priced from £292,500 and three-bedroom homes starting at £424,950. For more information call 020 8847 1297.

Also from Linden Homes is Fusion, a collection of 24 one- and two-bedroom apartments, located in Enfield. The developer is offering several introductory incentives for those who reserve off-plan. The developer is offering to pay buyers’ five per cent deposit, as well as legal and survey fees (subject to conditions).

Located in Southbury Road, Fusion benefits from a prime location and enjoys easy access to both the town centre and leisure amenities, where there is a wide choice of leisure and entertainment options. Enfield has a large cinema complex, various shops, bars and restaurants – and when it’s time to get to work, this location also comes up trumps. Enfield station is nearby, providing convenient links to central London. For motorists, there are also close connections to the M25 and the wider motorway network.

Helen Todd, sales and marketing director of Linden Homes Chiltern, says, ‘We have taken a number of reservations already at Fusion as interest has been high. A number of our developments have seen impressive sales success before the on-site sales office has even launched, such is the demand for highly specified homes. With the fantastic location of Fusion and the quality customers can expect from a Linden home, the apartments are likely to sell quickly.’
Prices for the homes at Fusion start from £227,950. For more information call Linden Homes Chiltern on 01895 827447 or visit lindenhomes.co.uk.

Opposite Rayners Lane tube station in Harrow, Preston Bennett offers The Turret, a selection of studio apartment plus one one-bedroom apartment with the distinct advantages of commutability and affordability.
Features include fitted kitchens (some open-plan) with stainless steel electric oven, a shower room or bathroom and downlighters to the living area and bath. There is also double glazing, gas central heating and an entryphone system.

Prices range from £126,000 to £220,000. A show apartment is open Friday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Call 020 8954 8626 or see prestonbennett.co.uk.

Laing Homes is selling Prince’s Square, conveniently located a mile and a half from central Edgware. This collection of one- and two-bedroom apartments and three- and four-bedroom houses has great transport connections, excellent shopping and a friendly local environment.
The site, previously an IT centre for the banking sector, is between Queensbury and Burnt Oak tube stations, giving residents a choice of Jubilee and Northern Line services which put central London within a 30-minute commute. For motorists, the A41, M1 and M25 are all approximately three miles away. The location is also very well placed for access to Edgware’s good-quality bars and restaurants.

Currently available are apartments, with prices starting at £199,950 for one-bedrooms and £229,950 for two-bedrooms. Three-bedroom homes are priced from £290,000. For further information on the homes at Prince’s Square call 020 8732 2596.

Laing Homes North Thames is seeing great buyer interest at its Brockley Park development in Stanmore, which features 96 spacious detached homes. Brockley Park is located within one of Stanmore’s more exclusive areas, with far-reaching views over green belt countryside and flanked to the north by six acres of open space including a pond.

Homes at Brockley Park are being built in a wide range of detached house types and have all been designed to offer maximum use of living space as well as to fit in with the local vernacular. The new show home is an example of the four-bedroom Heather house type; this comes with two extra rooms and an integral garage.
Buyers at Brockley Park can choose to upgrade the specification of their new home to include state-of-the-art extras such as integrated audio systems, with ceiling speaker, wall control panels and security cameras. However, all kitchens come fully fitted with Siemens or Bosch appliances, granite worktops and pre-wiring for the latest communications and home cinema systems.

Prices at Brockley Park start from £725,000 for a four-bedroom detached house and from £1.15 million for a six-bedroom Primrose house type. To find out more call 0870 240 4563 or visit laing-homes.co.uk.

Is there anything out there for less than £300,000 in London and the South East? Yes, says Johnny Turner.

House prices have taken only has a short rest, it seems, on their relentless trek north. Judging from recent surveys, price rises are on again, which is great for those who already own property and want to see their equity pot grow. Not such great news, though, for those who are looking to get a foot on the property ladder, as salaries have nowhere near kept pace with house prices.

Luckily there are many new developments offering high-quality homes for surprisingly little money. Whether you’re looking for an apartment or a house, there is hope for those who want to buy for under £300,000.

EastSide is a collection of apartments offering outstanding value for money in Bow, an area that is gaining ground daily in terms of desirability. The area has seen impressive price growth in the past five years – and yet there are some real bargains to be had in the vicinity. Eastside offers potential purchasers an affordable opportunity to purchase in this exciting area.
The area has all that today’s buyer could want: proximity to both the City and Canary Wharf for work and a vast array of restaurants, cafés, bars and entertainment venues, as well as the vibrant, historic Roman Road Market. Established in 1843, it is now one of London’s liveliest street markets, combining everyday goods with specialist products including crafts, clothing, antiques, books and foods.

The 2012 Olympics has also made the Bow area a major focus for property hunters. EastSide is very well placed for the summer of sport that east London will witness in six years’ time.
A joint venture between Widacre Homes and Circle 33 Lifespace, Eastside comprises 132 stylish apartments dispersed across four building arranged on a central piazza-style garden square.
All apartments have been meticulously designed to maximise both light and space and boast a contemporary open-plan layout. Stylish kitchens extend into spacious living areas, while floor-to-ceiling windows flood the apartments with light.

Apartments all have outdoor spaces in the form of either good-sized balconies or terraces, ideal for al fresco dining and enjoying London during the summer months. The communal piazza-style garden square provides residents with a welcome outside space, a real. When complete it will comprise a selection of hard and soft landscaping along with a piece of communal art in the form of a bronze resin sculpture by a local artist.

Eastside currently has only ten two-bedroom apartments remaining of its third release, The Washington Building; where prices start at £264,450 for a two-bedroom apartment. Call Strettons Residential on 020 7422 0989 or see eastside-e3.com.

For those who seek an out-of-town vibe, current prices can be very frustrating. Indeed, it is surprising to come across a high-quality home in an idyllic village setting for under £300,000. And at Higgins Homes’ The Quarter in Chipping Ongar, Essex, there are several apartments – and even a three-bedroom house – available at below-300k-level.
Set among an abundance of landscaping and open space, the Higgins Homes development is focused around a ‘village green’ area, which adds appeal for all types of purchasers including singles, young families and downsizers. The exterior style is in keeping with the local vernacular, with colours including white, pink and blue, some with weatherboarding. All properties have modern interiors including designer kitchens with an integrated fridge/freezer, washer/dryer and dishwasher, and quality Smeg appliances.

The medieval market town of Chipping Ongar has a selection of good restaurants and old inns. Ongar Leisure Centre offers a swimming pool, squash and tennis. The countryside around Chipping Ongar is spectacular, perfect for walkers and cyclists. For commuters, Chipping Ongar has good access to the M11 and the M25 and the A414 provides a route to the major towns of Harlow, Hertford and Welwyn Garden City.

Prices for two-bedroom apartments start at £205,000 (less five per cent assisted deposit) while the single remaining three-bedroom house is priced at £299,950. Call Higgins Homes on 01277 365252 to find out more about The Quarter.

Standon Mill in Standon, Hertfordshire is an award-winning collection of 21st-century luxury apartments in a former flour mill. The popularity of this development is such that all the two- and three-bedroom apartments have been snapped up. The good news is that one-bedroom apartments remain for sale, priced from £199,000 to £265,000.

The former flour mill, which stands along the River Rib and dates back to 1901, has been carefully restored and converted by City & Country Group. The mill dates back to 1901 and stands alongside the River Rib, and many of the apartments have river views.
Each apartment has been designed to provide ultramodern living accommodation combined with a variety of original features such as cast iron columns, exposed brick walls and brickwork arches. The apartments are unique, with features such as curved glass walls, foldaway walls, floor uplighters and adjustable microscopic lights. As part of the standard specification, all of the properties have CAT5E wiring as well as additional wiring for home cinema systems and multi-room hi-fi. Even the bathrooms are wired to accommodate a ‘tile television’, which can be planted in the tiles at the end of the bath.

The development boasts riverside landscaped communal gardens and many of the apartments feature private terraces or patios with stunning views of the river or surrounding countryside. There is also allocated parking.

Standon offers easy access to the M25, via the M11 or A10. Trains also run regularly from Bishop's Stortford to London Liverpool Street and Cambridge, with journey times in both directions approximately 40 minutes.
Contact City & Country Group on 01279 818900 or see standonmill.co.uk for more information.

Countryside Properties currently offers some impressive deals at its popular Eclipse development in Braintree, Essex. Offering a range of internal layouts, each home is finished to the highest standard and features a stylish and modern specification.

With a new show apartment now open, the developer has a wonderful package of incentives on selected apartments, including a ‘move in for £99’ deal, which includes five per cent deposit paid, one per cent stamp duty paid and £1,000 towards legal costs. Conditions apply; contact Countryside to find out more about these packages. Apartments are priced from only £149,950.
Meanwhile, the three-bedroom houses start at an amazing £239,950. These have French doors leading out from the dining room, flooding the room with light and allowing easy access to the garden. The first floor benefits from two bedrooms overlooking the rear garden and a spacious master bedroom at the front of the home with built-in wardrobes and an en suite shower room.
For those keen to imagine themselves in their new home, a new three-bedroom show home illustrates perfectly how the space can be used.

All the homes at Eclipse come with spacious open plan kitchens with either an adjoining dining or living area. The apartments feature stylish kitchens which include a stainless steel oven, hob and fully integrated fridge/freezer as well as an en-suite bathroom or separate shower cubicle. All the apartments include gas central heating – a rarity in new apartments. Both houses and apartments come with their own parking spaces.

Braintree station is a mile from Eclipse, and London Liverpool Street can be reached in just over an hour. The new A120 provides fast and efficient access to Stansted Airport, with London’s West End easily reached via the M11 and M25.
Prices at Eclipse start from £149,950 for two-bedroom apartments and £242,500 for a three-bedroom house. For further information on Eclipse, please contact 0845 402 0438 or visit the website homes-at-eclipse.co.uk.

St Clements is an impressive collection of 16 apartments in Westgate-on-Sea, designed for those who have reached retirement age and want a well-designed, comfortable home that offers much and demands little.
Occupying a prominent position in St Mildreds Road, most of these apartments have spectacular sea views. Each includes luxury fitted kitchen with integrated appliances. The building has two lifts, while each home has a security entry system. Communal parking is an exclusive right to all of the residents living at St Clements. The communal lounge and communal lounge and gardens are ideal.

Westgate-on-Sea offers good high street shopping, as well as easy links to such destinations as Margate and Birchington via a regular bus service. Canterbury is also within easy reach via the A28, while train connections from London to Margate are set to get even better with a scheduled fast link. The newly opened Westwood Cross shopping centre offers popular high street stores such as Marks & Spencer and Debenhams.
To view one of the apartments at St Clements call 01462 712917.

Also for older buyers, the new retirement apartments at Moatview Court in Bushey address the need for security, convenience and low maintenance.
Situated in Palmer Avenue, this new development of only 12 one-bedroom apartments follows on the success of a previously-built complex  but incorporates many new features. These homes are ideal for someone wishing to remain in the area that is familiar to them, but without having the potential problems associated with a larger and older property.
Peace of mind comes as standard, with a secure entryphone and intercom system to each apartment. The emergency pull-cord system is also located within the bedroom and reception/kitchen.

A handy entrance hall leads to each room. The 28ft reception area has double doors to a small balcony or patio (depending on which floor the home is on). The kitchen is nicely fitted with everything within easy reach including a 1½ -bowl sink with waste disposal unit,  electric hob with oven below, stainless steel cooker hood , adequate space for a fridge/freezer and plumbing for a washing machine. The good-sized bedroom has fitted wardrobes, while the bathroom has a classic white suite.

There is a lift to the first and second floors and allotted residence parking adjacent to the communal gardens. Access to the existing communal day lounge and conservatory phase one of Moatview Court is also an added benefit. Prices are from £146,950. For more details or to arrange a viewing or contact Preston Bennett 020 8954 0044.

Telford Homes’ Equinox makes the Docklands dream possible.

With its enviable riverside position and high specification, Equinox, a just-completed scheme by award-winning developer Telford Homes, is the ideal buy for either owner-occupiers or investors who want immediate occupation.

Situated at the tip of the Isle of Dogs, adjacent to Island Gardens Park and alongside the River Thames, this exclusive selection of 63 apartments and penthouses is the perfect HQ for a busy modern lifestyle. Equinox features a four-storey main building and a six-storey tower which forms the focal point for this new local residential landmark.

An apartment at Equinox offers more than just an exceptional home or pied-à-terre. It also gives access to a vibrant cosmopolitan lifestyle, with easy access to both employment and enjoyment, making it possible to balance work with leisure time. Its position opposite Island Gardens DLR station means residents can reach the business and leisure district of Canary Wharf in just eight minutes; and as it is only 100 metres from the Greenwich Foot Tunnel, the wonderful shops, diverse markets, cafés, bars and bistros are a mere ten-minute walk away. The location also offers some of London’s most beautiful scenery. You can enjoy a modern-day version of the vista of Canaletto’s famous 18th-century painting, A View of Greenwich from the Isle of Dogs. The scheme’s southerly aspect looks across the River Thames to the dramatic skyline of the Royal Naval College at Greenwich designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The nearby park and its views offer residents the perfect location to relax and unwind.

At Equinox, Telford Homes has provided apartments that are equipped ready for move in, backed up by excellent service support to make them hassle-free. All apartments are finished to an exceptional standard and are fitted with German Systemat kitchens from London designer Urban Myth, featuring a full range of integrated Smeg and Siemens appliances including oven, hob, extractor hood, washer/dryer, fridge/freezer and dishwasher.
All bathrooms and en-suites feature pure white Villeroy & Boch bathroom suites finished with polished chrome fittings by Grohe, towel rail radiators, large tiled-in mirrors and contemporary wall and floor tiling.          
     
Telford Homes prides itself on its ability to deliver superb value, high-quality homes with an excellent level of customer satisfaction. In an independent survey of 27 national and regional competitors conducted in March 2006, Telford Homes ranked second for overall customer satisfaction. The customer service team spends up to 80 per cent of their time on site, carrying out quality control in the final two weeks of construction, viewing each property ‘through the eyes of the customer’ to ensure excellent delivery.

Sheena Ellwood, sales and marketing director of Telford Homes, comments: ‘Equinox is a fantastic scheme in an outstanding location – however, it provides so much more. The properties are fully complete with appliances, flooring, fixtures and fittings and potential purchasers could move straight in now, with no delay. This is ideal for most buyers, saving time and money otherwise required to find and have installed essentials such as carpets and appliances. Alternatively, it is ideal for buy-to-let investors who complete with a property which can be let immediately.’

The apartments at Equinox are selling quickly, and only 15 remain for sale. Prices start at £250,000 for one-bedroom apartments, while two-bedroom apartments are priced from £320,000. The show apartment and sales centre are open daily from 10.30am to 5.30pm. For more information please contact 020 7537 2307 or visit telfordhomesplc.uk, where the latest availability can be checked.

We look around the Clapham area and see a very high-quality property from Oliver Burn
Clapham is an extremely popular area of south London, providing everything you need for today’s busy, fun-filled lifestyle. And just look at the choice! Cinema-lovers do well here, with the Clapham Picturehouse in Venn Street (and, slightly further afield, the Ritzy across from Brixton Town Hall) showing both arthouse and blockbuster fare. Good pubs and restaurants abound, from neighbourhood boozers to trendy wine bars, unassuming cafés to lavish and pricey haute cuisine. Shopping is plentiful, offering everything from large supermarkets to trendy boutiques, cool record shops to quaint gift shops and specialist retailers.

Transport-wise, Clapham is in Zone 2 and offers a fantastic selection of ways to get into the City or West End. Clapham North tube is on the Northern Line, which will whisk you into central London quickly. Stockwell tube, also within walking distance, gives you the choice of the Victoria of Northern Lines, getting you into Oxford Circus in ten minutes. Bus-wise, the area is served by numerous services into the financial and entertainment centres. From Clapham High Street station, meanwhile, there is a very quick mainline service into Victoria.

For relaxation, you can’t beat Clapham Common. The jewel of the area, the Common offers 220 acres of lush greenery, perfect for jogging, strolling or a picnic with friends.
Oliver Burn is represented by a highly competent team of estate agents characterised by their forward thinking and progressive, refreshing approach to the property market. As a team, our experience spans over 20 years, giving us a high degree of business acumen coupled with the efficiency and reliability that only an independent agent can