New Homes - December, 2007

As the 2012 Olympic Games approach, areas in and around London are enjoying mass regeneration and improved transport links. Amanda Shiel takes a look at what’s on offer

Docklands
RoyalQuay, part of the Thames Gateway regeneration effort, is a stunning residential and commercial property development at the former Albert Basin. Comprising of 446 apartments, ranging from one-, two- and three-bedroom penthouses, the development will be built in phases over the next few years around a newly-constructed yacht basin.                                                                            A key focal point of the development is the restoration of the Grade II listed Gallions Hotel, which was built in the late 1800s to serve passengers from the liners travelling to and from the ports of the British Empire.
The hotel, which also became the local pub for dock workers, is being brought back into use as a café, bar and restaurant with small office suites and a health and fitness club.
Designed by architects Jestico & Whiles to resemble ocean liners, three of the ten apartment buildings have been built on the dock itself, rising from the water’s edge. The newly built marina also gives an idyllic waterside setting for residents of this development.                                
With excellent communication links - City Airport is close by and the A13 arterial road offers links west to Docklands and Central London and east to the M11, M25 and the national motorway network – RoyalQuay has begun to unlock the regeneration of this whole area, establishing a vibrant new waterside community and breathing new life into this historic part of London.
Prices at RoyalQuay start from £275,000. To register interest in the next release of apartments, call 0207 055 0141.

Barking
Discover is a new ultra-modern development of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments overlooking Barking Creek - one of the most exciting and fastest-developing areas of London.
Tastefully arranged around a series of landscaped courtyards in a character filled waterside setting, Discover offers a real opportunity to live in an area enjoying unprecedented investment and regeneration with the 2012 London Olympics and is set to become one of east London’s most desirable locations.
Barking Station to Fenchurch Street is only 15 minutes away by C2C or Silverlink, with the District Line from Barking providing great connections to virtually every other line on the underground.
By road, Barking currently offers easy access to the M25, M11, A406 North Circular Road, the A118 and the A13 - and there’s always City Airport to venture even further afield.
Prices at Discover start from £195,000. For more information, call 0800 432 0544.

Ebbsfleet
Phoenix Parc comprises 151 one- and two-bedroom apartments and 34 two- and three-bedroom houses. All the homes have been carefully designed and enjoy spacious layouts with a high level of specification.  
The development is perfectly designed for those with a love for high-tech creature comforts. All apartments come with provision for Sky+ and HD TV as well as pre wiring for a flat screen television in the lounge. Telephone points are situated throughout the apartment as well as electric under floor heating.
Phoenix Parc is in the heart of the Thames Gateway regeneration area and with the completion of the high speed rail link, travellers will be able to reach St Pancras in less than 20 minutes in 2009, whereas Paris will be a little over two hours away via Eurostar. Phoenix Parc is also ideally situated with those with a love for retail therapy, with the extensive Bluewater shopping centre, the largest of its kind in Europe, providing a range of high street names, luxury designer goods and boutiques stores.
Apartments start from £225,995. For more information on Phoenix Parc call 0845 4504360 or visit exploreliving.co.uk.  

Walthamstow
Uber comprises 100 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments on Erskine Road. The building has a cascading and ascending flat roof, sculpted with aluminium panels to give a dramatic profile. The development incorporates a secret garden, so residents can read a book and enjoy the sunshine without being overlooked.
Most apartments have glass panelled balconies providing buyers with outside space and there is also a video entry system in each property.  Internally, each apartment has a designer Urban Myth kitchen, which comes fitted with Smeg appliances, including a stainless steel electric oven, gas hob, integrated fridge/freezer and washer/dryer.  
Walthamstow provides residents with a wealth of amenities ranging from boutique market stalls to designer clothes shops in The Mall, Selborne Walk.  St James Street train station, near the high street, has regular direct trains to London Liverpool Street which take approximately 16 minutes.  Walthamstow Central underground station is on the Victoria line and trains to Oxford Circus take approximately 23 minutes.
First completions are expected in spring 2008. Prices for a one-bedroom apartment start at £205,000 and at £260,000 for a two-bedroom, two bathroom apartment with balcony. The marketing suite is open seven days a week between 10am-5pm. For further information contact Higgins Homes on 020 8521 7885 or visit higginshomes.co.uk.

Woolwich
The Armouries, the latest phase at Royal Arsenal, offers studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.
Royal Arsenal enjoys an established a thriving community, providing ready-made networking opportunities for newcomers and over the next year or so, the development will also boast a selection of bars and restaurants. Additionally, a brand new on-site food hall, operated by Couture, has opened in the MyHQ building and aims to bring convenience to residents and locals alike by offering gourmet foods and wines.  
Woolwich Arsenal train station is approximately 300 metres from the development, with trains running to central London in under 20 minutes. This service is to be joined by the DLR in early 2009 which will be extended to Woolwich Arsenal, with connections to London City Airport, Canary Wharf, Stratford and Bank. The Thames Clipper Fast Ferry service also stops at Royal Arsenal, offering a refreshing way to commute to Canary Wharf, London Bridge Pier and Tower Pier. Woolwich Town also boasts a daily market and numerous supermarkets.
The development is also well located for the 2012 Games. Olympic shooting events are to be held at nearby Royal Artillery Barracks and Olympic badminton, gymnastics, pentathalon and equestrian events to be held in neighbouring Greenwich.
Prices start from £250,000 for a one-bedroom apartment, from £290,000 for a two-bedroom apartment and from £315,000 for three-bedroom apartment. Also, one two-bedroom apartment remains in the converted MyHQ building priced at £320,000. For further information contact the sales and marketing suite, open daily from 10am-6pm, on 020 8331 7130 or visit royal-arsenal.co.uk.

Hackney
Queensbridge Quarter, which forms part of Hackney’s Holly Street regeneration programme, will feature 27 two- and three-bedroom houses, 83 one-, two and three bedroom apartments,  two penthouses and one studio apartment for private sale along with 40 affordable housing apartments.
Hackney’s revitalised High Street offers an array of shops, restaurants and bars allowing residents to enjoy London living in a more affordable setting than some other areas in the capital. Other draws for this market include the introduction of tube station in Hackney by 2010, which will link to south London.
Prices for apartments at Queensbridge Quarter start at £265,000. For more information contact Currells on 020 7241 4111 or visit queensbridgequarter.com/home.html

Clapton
Altius is a stylish development on Mount Pleasant Hill boasting spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments, many with en suite facilities and generous balconies.  
The development offers an extremely good location with major road links to the A10, A13 and M25 within easy reach. Clapton train station is only a few minutes walk away with services into Liverpool Street (ten minutes) and out to Chingford and Hertford. Homerton to the south of Altius is on the London Overground line from Richmond to North Woolwich.
Clapton is already feeling the benefits of the Hackney Unitary Development Plan. Investors see the area as a stylish, up-and-coming location and with Canary Wharf and the Olympic venues close by, the area is set to become a hotbed for ambitious young people.  
Two-bedroom apartments are priced from £294,995 and three-bedroom apartments are priced from £344,995.
Visit georgewimpey.co.uk for more details.

Amanda Shiel takes a look at what’s on offer on this side of the Thames

Elephant and Castle
Oakmayne Plaza is a mixed–use scheme comprising three towers built around a vibrant and newly created market square. Alongside the 285 apartments the development will include offices, a multi-screen cinema, shops, bars and restaurants.
The development is located close to Elephant and Castle tube providing easy access to the City, Canary Wharf and West End.
Scheduled for completion in 2010. Visit DTZ Residential’s website at dtz.com for more information.

Battersea
Previously derelict brownfield land, Battersea Reach is a new urban quarter creating an exciting and cultural addition to this stretch of the River Thames.
With a lively riverside community and views across the river to Chelsea Harbour, Battersea Reach is fast becoming the place to be on the South Bank complete with riverside access for residents and the public alike.
The development also features a 300 metre riverside walkway, a Young’s waterfront bar and restaurant and award-winning landscaped gardens, which open up the area between Wandsworth and Battersea.
The marketing suite and show apartments are open Monday to Friday from 10am to 8pm and 10am to 6pm weekends. Contact 020 7978 4141 or visit batterseareach.com. 


Lewisham
Once complete, Silkworks will provide a total of 270 city suite, one- and two-bedroom luxury apartments designed to provide a contemporary lifestyle to fit perfectly within the urban environment.       
Interiors have been intelligently designed for low maintenance living with contemporary kitchens and areas for living and entertaining. Large windows, light and spacious rooms, finishes of the highest order and specifications of an exceptional standard are featured within the apartments at Silkworks. Many of the properties include balconies or roof terraces.            
Energy efficient kitchen appliances, low water use bathroom fittings, solar thermal hot water and low energy use light fittings will be used throughout.                                                                       The scheme is located close to Lewisham mainline train, which provides direct routes to London Bridge in eight minutes and London Victoria in less than half an hour. Lewisham bus station is close by and the development also provides easy access to the area’s road networks, offering easy access to the M25, M23 and M20. With the added benefit of its proximity to London’s City Airport, residents at Silkworks are perfectly situated to take advantage of the area’s transport hub.      
Apartments at Silkworks are available from £239,999 for a one-bedroom apartment and £310,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. Contact St James Urban Living on 020 8469 0077 or visit  silkworkslondon.co.uk.

Charlton
Sense7 includes a range of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and houses.
Internally, kitchens offer a choice of fitted units from the Symphony range complemented by marmoleum flooring. Bathrooms boast white sanitaryware, chrome fittings and ceramic tiling features.
Properties also include Ecoplay, a new water management system that uses bath and shower water to flush toilets. A heat exchanger is also available as an optional extra.
All houses have their own rear garden and parking facilities.
The development is well located for travel into the City. Charlton Railway station is within easy reach of the development and offers fast and frequent services to London Bridge, London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street. There are also a number of road links close to the development including the A2, which offers access into London or towards the Kent coast.
Charlton Village offers a historic atmosphere with an old village green and Jacobean mansion at its centre. The area is also home to the Thames Barrier and the Valley, the ground for Charlton Athletic Football Club. The former Millennium Dome has been transformed into a sports and music arena and lies next to an entertainment and leisure complex featuring a host of bars and restaurants as well as a 10-screen cinema.
Prices start from £226,500 for a two-bedroom apartment and £279,950 for a two-bedroom house, while three-bedroom properties are priced from £349,950. For more information on Sense7 or to arrange a viewing of the show apartment, contact the selling agent, Site Sales on 0870 445 0870.

Shirley
Asprey Gardens is a select development of just seven three-bedroom semi-detached and detached houses and a two-bedroom detached bungalow.
Each home will benefit from a quality finish and high specification, including designer fitted kitchens and contemporary bathrooms. Exteriors will blend modern design and traditional architecture.
Located just minutes away from Croydon by car, Asprey Gardens is ideal for families looking for a home in an established residential community near several excellent schools. Professionals will find commuting a breeze, with good road and rail links.
Prices for the homes at Asprey Gardens start from £399,950. Contact the marketing suite on 01689 806623 or visit aspreyhomes.co.uk.

Bermondsey
Bermondsey Square, a visionary mixed-use development, has been designed to form an integral part of the local community. 76 urban apartments are available, combining modern standards and function without diminishing the unique feel to each of the homes.
The apartments will be fitted out with contemporary kitchens including all integrated appliances, sleek modern bathrooms suites, fittings, pure wool carpets to the bedrooms and stunning oak wood floors.
Bermondsey Square is due for completion by spring 2008. For more information please see bermondseysquare.co.uk.  


Greenwich
Bellway’s Rubicon scheme comprises one- and two-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom penthouses.
Located in Tarves Way in the heart of Greenwich, Rubicon’s town centre location ensures a real urban buzz. As well as bars, restaurants and shops, you’ll also find theatres, a cinema, comedy club, and, of course, the famous Greenwich markets which add to the bohemian feel of the area.
The development is located just minutes away from Greenwich station with journey times to Charing Cross or Cannon Street taking less than 25 minutes. The M11 is just 12 miles away, connecting with the M25, and all three main London Airports, Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted are within a 40 mile radius of Rubicon.
Prices begin at £270,000 for a one-bedroom apartment and £290,000 for a two-bedroom home.
Penthouses are priced from at £360,000.
For further information, contact Bellway on 01689 886400 or 0208 858 5504. Alternatively visit   bellway.co.uk.

Eltham
Asprey Homes is offering a unique opportunity to own a brand new five-bedroom individually designed detached home on Court Road. Situated next to the golf club and within walking distance of Eltham palace, the exclusive home is set within a secure gated plot and has been thoughtfully designed with an impressive specification, aesthetically pleasing architecture and well planned, spacious accommodation.
The traditionally designed property is within ten minutes walk of a mainline rail station, which offers trains to London Bridge, Waterloo East and Charring Cross in as little as twenty minutes. Eltham town centre with its restaurants, high street shops, department stores such as Marks and Spencer and Sainsbury’s supermarket are also nearby.
Shawfield is priced at £2.1 million. For further information contact the appointed selling agents, David Evans, on 020 8859 5331 or King Sturge on 020 8318 5278. Alternatively visit aspreyhomes.co.uk.