New Homes - July, 2004

There’s a lot to like in south-east London’s current crop of newly built homes. Johnny Turner sees what all the fuss is about.

The south-east part of London has much to recommend it – green space, proximity to the City, history and attitude for starters. All walks of life choose to make their home in this corner of the capital, from Goldsmiths students to settled families, young professionals to older residents who are downsizing. There is a definite feel that marks out the area as distinct from other London districts. Greenwich is continually surpassing itself in terms of beauty, amenities and convenience, while other bits, from leafy Dulwich to the conservation area of Telegraph Hill, from Kennington to New Cross, are moving with the times.

One such area is Deptford, and the development that is helping it redefine itself is oneSE8 by St James Homes. This is more than a bunch of homes – it’s a complete lifestyle. The location, in up-and-coming Deptford, is perfect for those who want convenience and style but also want to feel they live in the ‘real’ London.
oneSE8 is very much in keeping with the St James ethos, which emphasises the enhancement of the living experience. From the inspiring architecture and carefully planned living spaces to the leisure amenities, from the internal specification to the security, this is obviously a place for the discerning. Perfect for busy professionals, these apartments and penthouses let you live your life without worrying about upkeep and maintenance.
Phase two consists of the Colorado and Utah Buildings. The Colorado, at ten storeys the highest building in the development, is finished in an attractive white and mauve render, with terracotta brickwork, tiling and cedar. Studio apartments are priced from £166,000. There is also one remaining apartment in the building – a two-bedroom at £295,000 – and one penthouse priced at £420,000. The height of the Colorado means there are superb views over the city and south-east London.
The Utah Building, meanwhile, features red render alongside cedarwood panels, giving it a striking appearance that perfectly complements the homes inside. The studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments represent the best in open, modern living space.
Current availability at the Utah includes studio apartments priced from £172,000 and two-bedroom apartments starting at £245,000.

The lifestyle components offered at oneSE8 set the complex apart from other development; residents will find an ease of lifestyle and a standard of luxury that is unheard of for miles around. Café One8 offers a great place to unwind after a busy day, offering residents and their guests a relaxing, stylish ambience – it’s a great place to meet friends and talk about something else besides work. The gym is fully equipped with the latest in cardiovascular and weight training equipment; there is also a 24m lap pool and personal trainers are available to guide you through your fitness regime.
Transport is delightfully simple for those who work in Canary Wharf or the City; the West End is also within easy reach. The DLR gets you to Canary Wharf in only 12 minutes and Bank station is only a few stops further. Also, the lively, trendy atmosphere of Greenwich and Blackheath are just a few minutes away.

Find out more about this exciting development by visiting onese8.com or calling 020 8469 0077.
Another St James site in the south-east part of the capital is Borland, located in Peckham. The two co-ordinated contemporary buildings are twinned across a landscaped courtyard. Once inside the gated entrance you’ll find the green space is not only a place for relaxing but also a showcase for modern sculpture. St James Homes is particularly dedicated to acquiring modern art and exhibiting it in its developments, and Borland is a great example, with its public space providing an unmissable showcase.
The homes at Borland are quietly cutting-edge. Bathrooms let you decide whether a bath or a shower better suits your mood; the kitchens are contemporary in every detail, with the clean-cut style you would expect from noted designer Fiona Naylor.
Peckham is an area of south London that is changing rapidly, and for the better. The transformation that has been evident in projects such as the new library are happening more and more – and Borland is just one of the latest examples. Apartments are priced from £175,000. To arrange a viewing call 020 7732 8082.

Another reason to give Peckham a second look is South Quarter2 by Countryside Properties. This current phase of the wildly popular South Quarter project builds on the success of South Quarter and Coleman Square, fusing traditional London architecture with innovative modern interior designs.
The mix of house types includes three-bedroom town houses and mews-style houses with external designs and finishes to replicate the old Victorian terraces. Period-style features include stone detailing above the windows and doors, Victorian-style maps illuminating the entrances, window boxes and canopies to the front of some of the properties and galvanized railings. The row of mews-style properties provides further variety, with individual features to each house including window detailing, window boxes, garage door style and differently painted and rendered brickwork.
There is a wide choice of one- and two-bedroom apartments with open-plan living and kitchen areas, en suites to the main bedroom in the two-bedroom apartments, and Juliet balconies to some apartment types. The duplex apartments also feature larger living and kitchen areas, dormer and velux windows and balconettes.

One-, two- and three-bedroom properties are currently available at prices ranging from £149,995 to £319,995. The marketing suite is open daily 10am to 5pm (1pm to 5pm Mondays). Call 020 7703 8693 for further information or email ltg@cpplc.com.
The very desirable Greenwich area has seen both the carrying on of tradition and a reinvention of sorts. Since the arrival of the Millennium Dome, this area has been marked out as one from which to expect great things. And whatever finally becomes of the Dome itself, the attention has brought some very tangible benefits that will remain, such as even better leisure options and a vastly improved transport infrastructure.
Those who wish to buy a property in the Greenwich area will be familiar with its popularity. Demand is high and the area has more disused land ripe for transformation than many areas of London. These factors have spurred developers into providing more homes – and the fact that today’s buyers are more discerning than ever means that new developments have to have that something special.
This is certainly true of Greenwich Millennium Village (GMV), which has in a short time come to be associated with quality of life and community rather than simply being known as just another development. The area already includes a thriving new primary school, a health centre, supermarket and cinema complex; there are also restaurants and a pub. Transport from North Greenwich Jubilee Line station makes for an extremely easy journey to Canary Wharf, the City and the West End.
Parkside, the latest phase of development at GMV, includes an exclusive collection of just nine two- and three-bedroom penthouse and duplex apartments – and with prices starting from just £440,000 it comes as no surprise that two of the homes were sold within a week of the launch.
Set around two beautifully landscaped courtyards, these apartments are dual- or triple-aspect and include floor-to-ceiling glazing, which not only allows light to flood into the living space but provide spectacular views over the parkland and the four-acre Ecology Park towards the River Thames. Extensive balconies and terraces enable residents to make the most of the views on these warm summer evenings.

The duplex apartments include a mezzanine gallery which looks out over the open-plan living/dining room below and provides attractive additional upper-floor living space. Several of the apartments also include sliding or folding walls, allowing those who live there to open up one of the bedrooms to create superb entertaining space.
Prices currently range from £189,950 for a one-bedroom apartment to £440,000 for a penthouse. For more information contact the marketing suite on 020 8293 6900 or visit parkside-gmv.co.uk.
Staying in the area, Anchor Iron Wharf has become a magnet for potential purchasers.
The six-storey development is situated in the heart of Greenwich and fronts on to the River Thames, giving spectacular views over major landmarks such as the Dome and Canary Wharf. The two-bedroom duplex show home has 924 sq ft of floor space and uses ‘Smartspace’, an intellectually applied method of creating and maximising internal space, natural light and views. The open-plan fully fitted kitchen has ceramic flooring, stylish units and a comprehensive range of integrated appliances. Bathrooms boast Villeroy & Boch suites. In the show home the bedrooms are situated on the bottom floor; stairs rise to the living and entertaining area, which benefits from a Thames-side location, and a balcony (included in all split-level apartments) provides a romantic river vista.

The external space makes excellent use of its riverside location. The Thames footpath adjoins Anchor Iron Wharf and this pedestrian link provides a five-minute walk past a rose garden up to fashionable Greenwich town centre, with its abundance of cafés and bars.
Prices for two-bedroom duplex apartments start from £350,000. Find out more by calling 01732 227666.

With land at a premium and the need for new homes rising, developers are creating excellent homes by reusing existing buildings. Anna Bowden looks at some of the current reinventions making waves in the property market

Regeneration is big news these days, particularly with regard to the shortage of available homes in the South East. The government has set targets, the prospect of the Olympics coming to London in 2012 has put it back in the news, and buyers are crying out for the provision of enough – and affordable enough – homes.
It is good news, then, that more and more developers are taking seriously the policy of converting previously commercial or industrial land or buildings to residential use. What this means for the buyer is that there is more choice at more affordable prices. There are some very exciting options available to home buyers these days, both in the capital and in the surrounding counties of the South East.
Standon Mill is a former historic flour mill that dates back to 1901 that is being converted by City & Country Group into 21 highly-contemporary one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. The development has been designed to provide ultra-modern living while at the same time sensitively retaining a variety of original features, including cast-iron columns, exposed brick walls and brickwork arches.

Five of the properties incorporate foldaway walls, increasing the flexibility of the living accommodation and enabling purchasers to adjust the way they use their space to their needs.
Chief executive Tim Sargeant comments, ‘For young professional buyers, a second or third bedroom is seldom used apart from when guests come to stay or as an occasionally-used study. An additional bedroom is a valuable asset though, particular when the property is put onto the market to sell at a later date.
‘We decided to design some of these apartments with folding walls as that offers buyers a way to incorporate these additional rooms into the main living and entertaining area, maximising the use of the space. The folding wall function of these homes means that the living space can be increased easily and swiftly by up to 118 sq ft.’
Prices at Standon Mill start from £275,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. Call 01279 817882 for details.
Appledore has already had two reservations at Oast Place, its new development of one original oast house conversion and four new mews cottages, in Wadhurst, East Sussex. Built in a sympathetic style, the development is situated just off Wadhurst High Street and boasts delightful semi-rural views.
The development is ideally located for communication links to nearby towns, with Wadhurst train station offering access to London within a one-hour journey time.
Prices for the remaining cottages at Oast Place are £375,000 and £395,000, with The Oast House available at £695,000. For further information or to arrange a viewing call Appledore on 01732 469888 or visit website appledoredevelopments.co.uk.

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward (KFH) is now selling Grove Park in Chiswick, London, the conversion of a former RAF headquarters into ten stylish new apartments.
Just 400 yards from one of the prettiest stretches of the Thames and located in the residential heart of Chiswick, this magnificent Victorian building dates back to 1888, when the land belonged to the Duke of Devonshire. Since 1940, however, the building has been used for office space.
Anne-Marie Desborough, sales manager of KFH, says, ‘These apartments offer buyers an excellent opportunity to purchase a stylish modern home with historical features in one of London’s greenest and most sought-after areas. Demand for properties in this area has always outstripped supply, and we expect all of these stunning apartments to sell long before the development is completed in September.’
Accommodation comprises a selection of contemporary one- and two-bedroom apartments, ranging in size from 549 to over 1,100 sq ft and offering solid wood floors, stylish modern bathrooms and individually designed kitchens with granite work surfaces. In addition, some of the apartments also have their own private gardens or roof terraces as well as access to the communal gardens.
Located on Grove Park Road, the development offers access to a wide array of shops, restaurants, bars and pavement cafés, as well as the amenities of Hammersmith and Kensington High Street. The apartments are approximately 500 yards from Chiswick mainline station, from where frequent services run to Waterloo with a journey time of 25 minutes.

Currently remaining properties at Grove Park include one one-bedroom apartment – priced at £270,000 – and nine two-bedroom apartments and duplexes, priced from £330,000 to £445,000. For sales information contact the Chiswick branch of KFH on 020 8742 8686.
KFH is also currently offering a converted fire station in Kennington, south London, and a church conversion in Muswell Hill, north London.
The former is a collection of 23 apartments, converted from the fire station and ladder store. The original watch tower, where the fire staff used to watch out for smoke before the invention of telephones, has been incorporated into the communal roof terrace, providing 360-degree views over the capital. There is currently one two-bedroom apartment remaining within this complex. Located on the top of the ladder store, the accommodation includes a fully fitted kitchen and a vaulted reception room that leads onto a private decked roof terrace. There are two double bedrooms, one of which features exposed brick walls and beams. This property is priced at £400,000. Other apartments within the fire station are also available for sale, priced between £240,000 and £499,000. For sales enquiries call KFH at the Kennington office on 020 7582 7773 or email ske@kfh.co.uk.

In Muswell Hill KFH is selling a conversion of The Chantry, a Grade II listed church building currently being converted into 14 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments now available for sale. These spacious apartments range in size from 544 to over 1,200 sq ft and boast such original features as vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows, exposed brick walls and wooden beams.
One-bedroom apartments are priced from £250,000; two-bedroom apartments from £325,000; and three bedrooms are available at £395,000. To arrange a viewing or find out more call KFH at Muswell Hill on 020 8883 0123, or email smh@kfh.co.uk.

Dernhall Properties has now restored the former council tax offices in Crouch End, north London, into The Collection, a scheme of 15 impressive contemporary apartments with secure underground parking and striking, high-specification accommodation on sale through KFH. Originally built in the 1960s, the façade of this former commercial building has been redesigned using contemporary materials, such as slate and limestone, to create an architecturally impressive new building. Internally, each of the one- and two-bedroom apartments offers open-plan living and floor–to-ceiling glazing, maximising the use of natural light that floods into the homes.
Richard Forshaw, branch manager of KFH’s Crouch End office, comments, ‘Due to the recent regeneration initiatives, such as ‘Better Haringey’, the ‘New Deal for Communities’ initiatives and the increase in redevelopment, Crouch End has become a smart and vibrant pocket of north London. Its unique village atmosphere is now starting to rival the neighbouring areas such as Hampstead, and as a result a high number of young professionals and families have been attracted to this increasingly sought-after area.
‘The Collection is Crouch End’s most recent new development, and is situated less than 20 metres from The Broadway, which offers a fantastic choice of restaurants and bars. Unsurprisingly, we have already seen a superb level of demand for these carefully-designed apartments, and within just two hours of the launch 25 per cent had already been reserved.’
The apartments are spacious, ranging from 506 to 1,096 sq ft and offering two balconies with Iroko decking that leads from the open-plan kitchen/sitting rooms and master bedrooms. Some of the features include Italian designed fully fitted kitchens with granite work surfaces and integrated AEG appliances, Villeroy & Boch ceramic bathrooms and natural oak flooring. The homes have also been designed to incorporate digitally compatible telephone and satellite TV points. In addition, residents will benefit from a video entry phone system, secure private car parking and 24-hour CCTV.
Residents at The Collection will also benefit from local amenities, including Hampstead Heath and Alexandra Palace, which offer a number of attractive walks. It is also located just under one mile from Highgate tube station, which provides access to the Northern Line, and one and a half miles from Finsbury Park station and its tube and mainline services.

One-bedroom apartments are priced at £275,000, with two bedrooms available between £310,000 and £340,000. Call 020 8348 8181 or email sce@kfh.co.uk for details.
Wates Residential is now offering The Vestry for sale, a selection of six two-bedroom apartments within a magnificent church conversion in West Norwood, south-east London. The conversion boasts stunning original features, including stained glass windows, vaulted beamed ceilings and mezzanine levels, and these combine with modern features (including American oak wide-plank flooring, stylish fully fitted kitchens, contemporary bathrooms and colour video entry phone system) to make this development one of the most desirable of the moment.
And nearby transport links allow excellent access to the City and West End.
Prices at The Vestry start from £230,000. for details or to arrange a viewing call 020 8299 2655.

Cranleigh, Surrey

CDC2020 is now building just four high-specification four- and five-bedroom detached homes at its Quercus development, priced from £795,000 to £850,000. And to facilitate the buying and selling process, the developer is offering its part-exchange scheme, taking away the uncertainty involved. For further details call selling agent Roger N Coupe on 01483 268555.

Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire

Planning permission has been awarded to Twigden Homes for Lakeside, a forthcoming development of 60 one- and two-bedroom apartments in Lake Street. There will be a choice of modern new apartments in eight different designs, and each home will benefit from an allocated parking space. The development will be conveniently located close to the mainline station. To register interest and find out about prices call 01480 222849.

Weybridge, Surrey

CALA Homes (South) has now launched its seasonal show home at Cavendish Court, offering a bright and contemporary theme for the summer months. The show home is spacious and boasts two bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as a kitchen/diner with granite worktops and an en suite bathroom to the master bedroom, and perfectly represents the quality of homes at Cavendish Court. Prices for apartments start from £409,950. Call 01932 850966.

Cheshunt, Hertfordshire

People are leaving the city in droves for the value-for-money and high standard of living at Weston Homes’ Grand Mill Place, a new development of attractive two-bedroom apartments in the heart of the Lea Valley. Located near Cheshunt station, from where London can be reached within 35 minutes, the development is ideal for first-time buyers and commuters. Prices start from £185,000. Call 01992 641199.

Hornsey, London

KingsOak North London has seen great success with its contemporary new scheme Paragon N8, where nearly all of the apartments have now been snapped up. However, as a final incentive for buyers the developer is offering to pay the ten per cent deposit on selected remaining plots. Prices at this high-specification development start from £269,995 for a two-bedroom apartment. Call 020 8347 8251 for details.

Vauxhall, London

Over 70 per cent of homes at Countryside Properties’ The Academy development have now been sold, mainly to professionals working in the City and West End who are seeking a lifestyle alternative to their current residential properties. The Academy is the restoration of a former school, combining a collection of new and refurbished luxury apartment and lodge houses. Prices at the development start from £389,950 for a two-bedroom apartment. Call 020 7735 4571 to find out more.

Romford, Essex

Elements by Higgins Homes is offering first-time buyers the ideal opportunity to get onto the property ladder as well as live in a quality development near fantastic transport connections. With homes starting from £184,950 and within a four/five-minute walk of Romford train station, from where London Liverpool Street is only 18 minutes away by train, Elements really is an excellent choice. To find out more call 01708 767670.

East Grinstead, Sussex

Just six apartments now remain for sale at Try Homes’ Tollgate Place, including the recently released striking top floor apartments which boast stunning views across the Sussex Weald. The apartments have been designed to ensure the development is a valuable addition to the town, with dormer windows and timber and masonry detailing presenting a handsome façade. Prices start from £279,950. Call 01342 410972.