WhatHouse? Southern October 2016 by WhatHouse? Local

l r, or ca e o lo ap r d ur y p ou Yo ert to y op d pr ere liv de London & Southern Edition October 2016

NEW HOMES DEBATE P3 MORTGAGES P11 SUPER-PRIME HOMES P24 INTERIORS P41 GARDENING P46

TANNERS HILL LONDON SE8

1, 2 & 3 BEDROOM APARTMENTS

AVAILABLE NOW ON A SHARED OWNERSHIP BASIS affinitysutton.com/sales

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London, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Isle of Wight â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Find your new home at Whathouse.com

CALA H O ME S

L A S T H O M E S , L A S T C HA N C E JUST ASK CALA

Computer generated image of Sensa at Millbrook Park

ACT NOW OR MISS OUT All townhouses now reserved. Last few 2 bed apartments remaining, available from £599,950. 100% Part Exchange available * or ask about Help to Buy † . Open daily 10.30am to 5pm.

C A L A H O M E S AT M I L L B R O O K PA R K , M I L L H I L L , N W 7 1 P Q 0208 371 9437

CALA .CO.UK

WHNOV *CALA will obtain 2 independent valuations based on achieving a sale in a 4-6 week period, part exchange considered subject to CALA’s purchasing criteria, terms and conditions. Up to 100% part exchange and other incentives available on selected plots, subject to terms and conditions and not in conjunction with each other or any other offer. Visit cala.co.uk/terms for full terms and conditions and purchasing criteria. †YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT. CALA Management Ltd. Registered office: Adam House, 5 Mid New Cultins, Edinburgh EH11 4DU. Security over your home is required. Help to Buy cannot be used in conjunction with part exchange. Availability of other incentives/offers subject to lenders criteria and CALA’s discretion. Your mortgage lender’s deposit requirements may vary, but you should usually expect to contribute a deposit of at least 5% of the purchase price. Available on selected properties, and subject to the Government’s specific terms, conditions and qualifying criteria. CHECK THAT THIS MORTGAGE WILL MEET YOUR NEEDS IF YOU WANT TO MOVE OR SELL YOUR HOME OR YOU WANT YOUR FAMILY TO INHERIT IT. IF YOU ARE IN ANY DOUBT SEEK INDEPENDENT ADVICE. 5.2% APR typical. Telephone calls within the British Isles will be charged at local rate. Telephone calls may divert to a mobile service in which case call charges may vary. Some images have been enhanced in post production. Prices are correct at time of going to print.

25162 Millbrook Park What House 340x265 Newstyle 11.16.indd 1

18/10/2016 10:13

new homes debate 3

Find your new home at whathouse.com/new-homes

Building London’s future

land and projects undertaken, to incorporate housing. “Unequivocally, people who use our network wanted us to build more homes,” said TfL’s commercial director, Graeme Craig. Howard Dawber, managing director of strategy at Canary Wharf Group, added: “It’s clear that transport delivers an increase in property values, and it gives us the opportunities to deliver housing in areas where housing wouldn’t otherwise work.” The final session, ‘Khan he deliver?’, looked at what new London mayor Sadiq Khan has to address in order to meet some of his early promises on the number and affordability of homes for London during his term. Tony Pidgley, chairman of Berkeley

tenures to suit people at different times in their life. Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council Darren Rodwell agreed, saying “London wasn’t built on homeownership: it was built on the rental sector” and stating that it was impossible for him to buy in his own borough. Among the last remarks was a word of warning from Michael Scobbie of Hansgrohe, a major supplier to the UK housebuilding industry, who asked: “Is there a recognition that we need to maintain and enhance standards in the industry?”, stating “we are concerned that quality might be compromised in the rush to build more homes”. The very final words came from James Murray, current deputy

WhatHouse? hosts industry debate on the present and future of new homes for the capital

he latest WhatHouse? New Homes Debate – entitled Housing London 2020 and Beyond – drew an impressive array of panellists and a senior housebuilding industry audience to the Emirates Stadium to discuss what needs to be done to meet the housing needs of the capital. Chaired by the former leader of the House of Commons, Lord William Hague, four panels tackled a series of issues covering how best to take the current situation in London and best plan to build the number and variety of new homes required to match the city’s future. Starting at ‘Where are we now?’, Richard Blakeway, former deputy mayor for London housing and now a housing advisor to 10 Downing Street, brought agreement that there was not a big enough variety of housebuilders involved in constructing the homes needed. Fellow panellist Colin Stanbridge, chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, suggested “we need an army of small housebuilders” to make the targets set, as “big developers are never going to build 50,000 houses”. Mark Collins, chairman of

residential at global agent CBRE, said planning difficulties would be eased with larger departments dealing with the issue, and that to do so, developers might be asked to pay higher fees. The next panel looked at ‘Finding the land, planning the homes and funding the builders’, with the leader of Islington Council, Richard Watts, berating planning permissions given that are not being acted upon and asking for a more detailed report on government-owned sites that might be handed over for new homes development. Charles Haresnape, group managing director of lender Aldermore, called for more clarity of government funding schemes and more inclination from lenders to pride funding for the smaller housebuilders Stanbridge called for earlier. Kate Davies, the chief executive of Notting Hill Housing, declared that hers and other housing associations had huge sums available at favourable rates that housebuilder could have access to with joint venture projects. On the next topic, ‘Transport and infrastructure’, senior figures from Transport for London (TfL) and Network Rail both expressed their intention to make the most of their

London’s deputy mayor for housing, James Murray

Homes, urged the industry to “get the placemaking right”, looking harder at the affordability issue rather than return on investment. He also reported how a diminished level of quality tradesmen on his books had slowed his company’s rate of building, reinforcing others’ views that education and apprenticeship are not providing the quantity and quality of skilled workers into the construction industry. James Lidgate, director of housing at investment company Legal & General Capital, called for a major rethink on housing at a government level, with the “obsession” with homeownership replaced with more emphasis on other

mayor for housing and residential development in the London mayoralty. He acknowledged the scale of the housing crisis and said that in his visits to all London’s boroughs on the issue, there was a lot of consensus. He told the audience of his intent to speed up the provision of suitable sites for regeneration, to take a more innovative approach to funding to suit individual projects, and to bring “clarity, certainty and speed” to planning. Mayor Sadiq Khan himself is currently chairing a ‘skills and capacity audit’ across all related sectors in the council to determine the best way to tackle all the issues over the coming years.

Welcome!

h is time of year is cranking the pace up here at WhatHouse?, not only as we start to run out of time for buyers looking to find new homes by Christmas, but also with just a handful of weeks leading up to the WhatHouse? Awards event on 18 November. The WhatHouse? Awards are a huge event for us, and also the industry as a whole, being the largest single luncheon event in the new homes calendar in the whole year, attracting over 1,700 senior names from across the UK in order to enjoy awards in 20 categories and senior company from across the nation. Judging this year seemed even tougher than ever, with a really close call between so many developments that narrowing them down to a shortlist involved a lot of site visits and some long judging conversations. Thankfully we ended up in a position to reward the very best of the best, finding the key qualities to lift the winners into gold, silver and bronze positions. So make sure you get our November issue for a preview of the event and the December issue for all the detail of this year’s winners. As our New Homes Debate in September showed (see article, left), the shortage of new homes in London, as in the rest of the country, doesn’t look like having any significant solution soon. If problems about land, finance and planning could be solved overnight, there would still be a significant dearth of qualified tradespeople, skills and training. Additionally, the Brexit vote from June has also left tens of thousands of overseas workers who joined the UK workforce over the past years uncertain about their future prospects, suggesting that numbers could be even more challenging in future years. In the mean time, housebuilders around the country are trying their best to increase the number of homes they are providing, and even though the mortgage guarantee part of the scheme will cease, as planned, at the end of this year, the equity share part of the Help to Buy initiative looks set to continue for several more years. Happy house-hunting!

Keith

Keith Osborne, editor. ko@whathouse.com @keithosborne69 Housing London 2020 and Beyond at the Emirates Stadium

WhatHouse? editorial director, Rupert Bates Event host, Lord William Hague

Rupert Bates, editorial director of WhatHouse? has been a property journalist for 25 years. He is an award-winning writer who started on local newspapers before becoming a columnist on The Daily Telegraph. He presents the annual WhatHouse? Awards, edits leading housebuilding magazine Show House and is property correspondent of The Field magazine.

A chance to win £50 It couldn’t be simpler – just ‘follow’ us on Twitter (@What_House) One of our new followers from 8 – 31 October 2016 will win £50 in Marks and Spencer vouchers

Keith Osborne started writing about property 14 years ago and has been editor of Whathouse. com since 2010. He is currently a columnist in housebuilding trade magazine Show House and has previously written for Homes Overseas magazine. He has also been a part of the WhatHouse? Awards judging panel for a number of years.

Managing director Daniel Hill Editorial director Rupert Bates Editor Keith Osborne ko@whathouse.com Chief sub-editor Suzanne Frost Designer Sarah Davies Contributors Nick Parkhouse Richenda Oldham Fiona Brandhorst Helen Christie Sales director Adrian Talbot at@globespanmedia.com Senior sales manager Bob Faulkner bf@whathouse.com

Published by: Globespan Media Limited, 291-299 Borough High Street, London SE1 1JG T: 020 7940 1070 E: info@globespanmedia.com W: www.whathouse.com Printed by 39zero / Distributed by Royal Mail © 2016 Globespan Media Limited WhatHouse?, ISSN: 02691310

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No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publishers. The greatest care has been taken to ensure accuracy but the publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors and omissions.

LONDON NEW HOMES 5 New Developments Coming in 2017 Hounslow London • Battersea London • Sutton London Bluphan Essex • Brentwood Essex

• 1, 2 AND 3 BEDROOMS • LUXURY APARTMENTS • CROSSRAIL/CENTRAL LINE • COMPLETION JAN 2017

ST MARGARETS, TWICKENHAM TW7

• 1 AND 2 BEDROOMS • CROSSRAIL – BRENTWOOD • COMPLETION 2017 • LUXURY APARTMENTS

PARK GROVE, ACTON W3

• RIVERSIDE APARTMENTS • 1 AND 2 BEDROOMS • LUXURY APARTMENTS • COMPLETION NOV 2016

BISHOPS COURT, BRENTWOOD CM14

Tel: 020 7377 2048 www.blueprintproperties.co.uk info@blueprintproperties.co.uk 57 Commercial Street, London E1 6BD

6 six appeal

Find your new home at whathouse.com/new-homes

‘The Lochnagar’, The Gardens, Rutherford, Scottish Borders • £725,000 This award-winning development, from Oakridge Homes, is at the foot of the Pentland Hills and within just minutes of West Linton Golf Club. “Oakridge Homes are kindly offering a round of golf for two at West Linton Golf Club to every viewer,” says Shonagh Morgan of Savills. “The desirability of this wonderful development has meant that there has been great demand for these bespoke homes.” ‘The Lochnagar’ is typical of the style and design of this development, a five-bedroom detached home with a well-appointed, open-plan kitchen and dining room with two reception rooms, a study, separate shower room, utility room and useful boot room, all on the ground floor. Upstairs are the impressive master suite with en suite

bathroom and Juliette balcony, four more generous bedrooms (two with en suite shower rooms) and a separate luxury family bathroom. The development has scenic, landscaped grounds and mix of mature and new trees, with a variety of redwood, cedar, beech, larch and oak, and the property comes with a detached double garage. The Gardens is just five minutes from West Linton village itself, with its useful range of everyday shops and amenities, and 15 minutes from the Edinburgh bypass.

From: Savills Contact: 0131 247 3713

Six appeal Our pick of the best homes for sale to appeal to sports fans The Green, Ripley, Surrey • £899,950

The flagship three-bedroom home at this development commands an enviable position in the picturesque village of Ripley overlooking the coveted village green, renowned as the largest in England at 65 acres. The village has a great mix of shops and facilities, including a Michelin-starred restaurant and award-winning coffee shop. Not only is the three-bedroom house within walking distance from all the village’s amenities but it is also just a five-minute drive from the Robert Trent Jones-designed The Wisley Golf Club. Located just north of the Surrey Hills, this development is also a quick ride away from the roads where the Olympic cyclists raced in 2012.

The specification of this home includes double-glazed timber sash windows, an open fireplace, underfloor heating, a range of built-in kitchen appliances, stylish bathroom/ en suite and a natural slate roof. It also has a south-facing garden and off-road parking for two vehicles. Ripley enjoys easy access to both the A3 and M25 motorways with both Gatwick and Heathrow airports within easy reach. Woking Station offers a regular service to London Waterloo, with a journey time of just over 20 minutes from the fastest services.

From: Seymours Contact: 01483 211644

Cathedral House, Cardiff • From £TBC

This development is close to selling out, with 21 apartments in the first phase all sold and just five two-bedroom apartments coming soon in phase two. It is a conversion of a 1970s office building, with its own coffee shop houses in the ground floor. Cardiff boasts a number of great sporting venues and from Cathedral House itself you have great views of Cardiff City Stadium for football fanatics, the SSE Swalec Stadium for the cricket fans and the Principality Stadium, the national stadium of Wales, for the World’s top rugby and sporting events. The five new two-bedroom apartments are based on open-plan designs with an outside terrace, two double bedrooms, an en suite to

master bedroom, and contemporary kitchens and bathrooms. The penthouse also has a parking space. Cathedral House is located on the outer fringes of the Pontcanna district, affectionately known as the ‘Chelsea of Cardiff’ and described by the Daily Telegraph as one of the trendiest spots in the UK. The development is positioned on treelined Cathedral Road, within an important conservation area and just a 10-minute walk to Cardiff’s castle and city centre.

From: Acorn Property Group Contact: 029 2010 0650

For the latest on the property market

Parkside Place, Wembley • From £317,500

Holcombe House Gardens, Sunningdale, Berkshire From £1.45m This collection of just five four- and five-bedroom detached homes is set in one of the UK’s great homes of golf, the Berkshire village of Sunningdale, and just a few minutes away from the prestigious club with its two historic courses and decades of championship history. These homes are laid out over three floors with a host of stunning features, including oak doors, designer kitchen units and bespoke bathrooms. There are fitted wardrobes in master bedrooms, instant boiling water taps in the kitchens, a full range of Miele appliances, underfloor heating to

six appeal 7

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first and second storeys. The village offers many things right on the doorstep, including a post office, bank, Waitrose and dental practice. Chobham Common in just five minutes away in the car, and it’s only three miles to the 5,000 acres of Windsor Great Park. For further shopping, Ascot and Windsor both offer a range of high street names and independent stores to satisfy even the most ardent retail therapist. Nearby are Holy Trinity C of E Primary School and the independent Sunningdale School, while older children can attend Charters School.

There’s also the International School at Virginia Water. Sunningdale is very well connected, less than three miles away from the M3 and with its own station under an hour from Waterloo. Heathrow Airport is just ten miles away for domestic and international flights.

From:Bewley Homes Contact: 01344 753110 (Romans), 01344 295375 (Savills)

There can be fewer more famous sporting locations in Britain than Wembley Stadium, the England football team’s home ground and location for matches in many sports, including American football and rugby league. It’s also a popular venue for many of the world’s biggest bands. A final collection of 61 homes is going to be released at Parkside Place in November. The development is just half-an-hour on foot, or around ten minutes in a taxi, from the stadium, perfect for access to it and the superb shops and entertainment created around it over the past few years. Andrew Loveday, sales director at Countryside, comments: “The previous phase of apartments at Parkside Place was a huge success, therefore we are delighted to be

creating more homes in the final part of the development and offering, for the first time threebedroom duplexes and houses.” Selected properties will be available through the government-backed Help to Buy London scheme, affering a 40% equity loan to buyers who can provide a 5% deposit on their home. Parkside Place is half-a-mile from Sudbury Town Tube station on the Piccadilly Line as well as Sudbury and Harrow Road station on the National Rail Line has services to Marylebone.

From: Countryside Contact: parksideplace@cpplc.com

Upton Gardens, West Ham From £TBC Launching in January 2017, Upton Gardens is the conversion of West Ham United’s former football ground into 842 new homes across 15 buildings, including onebedroom suites, one-, two-, threeand four-bedroom apartments, duplexes and maisonettes, alongside a range of amenities. There is bound to be a lot of interest in it from the club’s fans, either as a place to live or as a buy-to-let property investment. Located in Zone 3 in the London Borough of Newham, these new homes are close to Upton Park tube station, just four minutes away, with Forest Gate national rail station a little further away,

but set to be part of the Crossrsail/ Elizabeth Line network to make travel into and through central London much quicker and more efficient from 2018. Westfield Stratford and the extensive sporting facilities of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in that redeveloped part of east London – including West Ham’s new home ground, the velodrome, velopark and aquatics centre – are just 11 minutes away from the local tube station.

From: Barratt London Contact: 0800 170 7270

8 property of the month

Find your new home at whathouse.com/new-homes

Tanners Hill, Lewisham, SE13

anners Hill is a stunning new development by Affinity Sutton in Lewisham, an area that recently emerged as one of the capital’s leading hotspots for firsttime buyers. Tanners Hill launched this summer and already 50% has been reserved; demand is as high as expected and the development is attracting notable attention locally. There are 43 new apartments available here on a shared ownership basis, ranging from one- to threebedroom properties, all with large private balconies or gardens, offering highly desirable outside space. The development is situated just a short distance from the heart of New Cross, a vibrant and eclectic community, home to Goldsmiths Art College and numerous independent shops and local businesses. Lewisham Shopping Centre is nearby, with over 65 shops including well-known high street names as well as independent boutiques, coffee shops and cafés. Tanners Hill is located within close proximity to a number of excellent transport links; Deptford Bridge DLR is closest with direct services to Canary Wharf; New Cross Station and St Johns station offer direct services to London Bridge and are both within walking distance from the development. Lewisham Station is also within easy reach from Tanners Hill, just two stops on the DLR, with direct services to Charing Cross in around 15 minutes making this an extremely well-connected place to live. Not only is purchasing at Tanner’s Hill an attractive lifestyle proposition it is also arguably a great investment. Property prices in Lewisham are expected to experience some of the highest growth rates in London by 2020, providing a great chance for those who have been priced out of the local market to get on the housing ladder through shared ownership and to benefit from capital growth in the years to come.

Pricing A 25% share of a one-bedroom apartment is available at £85,000 (full purchase price is £340,000), with a 5% deposit needed of just £4,250. A 25% share of a two-bedroom apartment is available at £104,375 (full purchase price is £417,500), with a 5% deposit of just £5,219. Similarly, a 25% share of a twobedroom wheelchair-accessible apartment is available at £110,000 (full purchase price is £440,000) with a 5% deposit needed of just £5,500. A 25% share of a three-bedroom apartment is available at £146,875 (full purchase price is £587,500), with a 5% deposit of just £7,344. To book an appointment to visit the show apartment contact us on 0300 100 0303 or visit our website, affinitysutton.com/sales

For the latest on the property market

@What_House

property of the month 9

DISCOVER YOUR PERFECT HOME CAMPBELL PLACE

BRIDGEWATER LODGE

SOUTHGATE

WINDSOR I BERKSHIRE I SL4 1SN

STYLISH LIVING GREAT LOCATION

APARTMENTS IN THE HEART OF WINDSOR

• Exclusive development of just 9 spacious 4 bedroom family homes • Stunning kitchen/dining rooms/family rooms with bi fold doors

• Bridgewater Lodge is a stylish development of two and three bedroom apartments and two storey duplexes

• Contemporary specification

• Each home has a spacious open-plan living, kitchen and dining area

• Carport or garages to all homes

• 3 minute walk from Thames Street and Windsor Castle

• Separate study

• Views from some balconies of Curfew Tower, River Thames and Alexandra Park

• All homes feature terrace or balcony • Oakwood Tube Station only 0.4 miles away

Prices from £885,000 - £935,000

Prices from £670,000 - £1,150,000

Show apartment open daily 10am - 5pm 24hr online appointment booking at shanlyhomes.com

Call: 020 8528 3778

Call: 01753 857169

Ready for occupation Autumn 2016

shanlyhomes.com Internal and external images of both Campbell Place and Bridgewater Lodge. Prices correct at time of going to print. Travel times and distances approximate only.

Find your new home at whathouse.com/new-homes

mortgages

Tougher rules on buy-to-let mortgages Bank of England sets January deadline for new property loan regulations

a st March, the Bank of England began a consultation process surrounding buy-to-let mortgages. Now, via the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), the Bank has set out a timetable for lenders to tighten up their buy-to-let mortgage criteria by 1 January 2017, meaning it may become more difficult to get a buy-to-let mortgage. Under the tougher rules, landlords will be required to have higher levels of rent relative to their mortgage

payments. From the New Year, lenders must require borrowers to receive a minimum of 125% of their mortgage costs in rental income. Lenders will also have to ‘stress-test’ all new mortgages at a rate of 5.5%, even though actual rates are much lower. Landlords with four or more properties will also be asked to provide more information about their income and debts. However, in a positive change for landlords, lenders will be now able to factor in a rent increase of up to 2% a year when deciding

whether a borrower can afford a buyto-let mortgage. The Daily Telegraph reports that the new rules come ahead of changes to tax on landlords’ income that come into force in April next year. These changes will remove the ability of landlords who pay higher or additional rate tax to deduct their mortgage interest from their rental income before calculating their tax bill. The new PRA rules say that lenders must take into account a borrower’s

future tax liabilities, including the changes to mortgage interest relief. Mortgage expert David Whittaker told the Telegraph that most lenders will probably increase their rental income requirement to 140% or 145% of the rental income. He said: “The report says that some of the factors involved – such as the tax changes – may lead to higher minimum thresholds. The PRA is saying to lenders that it needs them to move away from 125% towards something that’s more meaningful.”

Most lenders already apply at least a 125% rental income cover and many larger lenders, including Barclays and Nationwide, have already raised their rental cover requirements. Whittaker added that the administrative costs of the changes could push up mortgage rates in the long run. He said: “Increased complexity carries cost for someone. At some point, that cost will have to be borne. The real cost of mortgages – competitive pressures notwithstanding – might start to increase.”

The end of the Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee scheme Don’t panic – only one part of the government-backed scheme is set to finish

fter helping 86,000 people buy their new home, the government has confirmed that it will be ending the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme at the end of 2016. The scheme, designed to help buyers afford a home with a small deposit, will be withdrawn at the end of this year after Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond said that it has achieved its intended purpose. The Help to Buy scheme was one of former chancellor George Osborne’s flagship policies. The mortgage guarantee scheme, launched in 2014, encouraged lenders to offer more low-deposit mortgages, with the government offering a guarantee on the ‘risky’ part of the lending to the lender. It enabled buyers to purchase a home with a 5% deposit, with the government guaranteeing the next 15% of a property’s purchase price. Now, the chancellor has confirmed that the scheme will end at the end of 2016. Hammond has told Bank of

England Governor Mark Carney in a letter that it was “introduced with a specific purpose that has now been successfully achieved” and that the mortgage guarantee will cease. The first element of the scheme – aimed at new-build homes and which gives a five-year interest free equity loan to buyers of up to 20% of a property’s purchase price, if they can raise a 5% deposit – will continue until 2020. The letter to Carney revealed that 86,000 people have used the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme with an average property price of £157,000. Government figures show that both parts of Help to Buy have helped 185,000 people buy a home, 150,000 of whom are first-time buyers. Since the launch of Help to Buy, more and more lenders have started to offer 90% and 95% mortgages. In many cases these offered rates that undercut deals available through Help to Buy and this has prompted the decision to close the scheme. Paul Smee, director general of the

Council of Mortgage Lenders, says: “Help to Buy continues to give a welcome leg-up to many creditworthy buyers who may not otherwise have been able to get a foothold on the property ladder. The scheme has helped buyers right across the country, including a high proportion of younger borrowers and first-time buyers. Mortgages for those with small deposits are now becoming more common outside the scheme and Help to Buy has been a significant help for buyers when they were less readily available.” Some experts have welcomed the end of Help to Buy, saying that it boosted house prices without taking into account the real problem: an insufficient supply of homes. Sam Dumitriu, head of projects at the Adam Smith Institute, remarks: “Philip Hammond is right to dump George Osborne’s misguided mortgage guarantee scheme. The Adam Smith Institute has consistently called for the scheme to scrapped arguing that increasing liquidity in the

housing market through government intervention will do little to solve the UK’s long-run housing supply shortage. “Britain’s housing crisis is the result of supply being unable to meet rising

demand. Help to Buy only served to make this problem worse, pushing up prices through cheap credit, while doing nothing to address the underlying housing shortage.”

AFFINITY SUTTON

EAST CITY POINT, CANNING TOWN East City Point is located in Canning Town, a vibrant East London neighbourhood at the centre of a Â£98 million regeneration project that will reform the local area.

1 & 2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS AND 2 BED DUPLEXES COMING SOON New local high street, hotel, cinema and gym facilities Zone 3 location with excellent transport links, Canary Wharf only a short journey by tube Finished to a high standard specification with private balcony, terrace or winter garden to most homes Register now to visit the show home

COMING SOON, REGISTER YOUR INTEREST FOR UPDATES

NINE ELMS AND EAST CITY POINT ARE BOTH AVAILABLE ON A SHARED OWNERSHIP BASIS

Priority will be given to people from the local area and eligibility criteria applies. Computer Generated Images.

AS_SOS_WhatHouseMag_DPS_340x550_Nov16_v2.indd 1

AFFORDABLE LONDON LIVING

NINE ELMS, LAMBETH Situated in the heart of one of the most exciting regeneration projects in London, Nine Elms Point will play a transformational role in this key riverside area.

1, 2 & 3 BEDROOM APARTMENTS AVAILABLE The apartments boast quality high gloss fitted kitchens Balconies or terraces to all apartments with stunning views of surrounding landscaped gardens On-site amenities including a Sainsbury’s and residents’ gym Zone 1 transport connections nearby

RESERVE YOURS NOW, PRICES START FROM £113,750 For a 25% share of a one bedroom apartment, with rent payable on the remaining share from £427 per month. Service charges will apply.

0300 100 0303

affinitysutton.com/sales sales@affinitysutton.com

06/10/2016 14:59

Inspired Homes live brilliantly prices from

ÂŁ262,950

Sutton - Help to Buy Launch 15th Oct! Inspired Homes strives to deliver luxury apartments, in central locations, at a price you can afford. We combine ingenious design with high quality fittings to deliver homes where you can Live Brilliantly.

To view all our homes visit www.inspiredhomes.uk.com or call 020 8688 6552 /InspiredHomesUK

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london

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Agent insight

Is it still worth investing in buy-tolet property?

We speak to Mark Lawrinson, regional director of Portico in north, south, west and central London and Spencers east and Essex offices within the Portico group What’s the advice for potential buyers in London? Buy in areas that are undergoing gentrification or experiencing infrastructure investment, offering healthy yields, if it’s an investment, so mortgage repayments aren’t a problem. As London has proven in the past, it’s an extremely resilient city, so if you are buying with a medium- to long-term view then your investment

is safe. If you’re buying a home to live in, then holding off could be equally as detrimental as it could be positive. A lot of buyers haven’t managed to get on the property ladder because they were determined to chase the lowest prices post the last financial crisis. Unfortunately while waiting for prices to drop, they did the opposite, and buyers ended up watching the market

rise again to levels unaffordable to them. Now money is as cheap as it can be to borrow, which makes getting on the ladder that bit easier and moving up it more affordable. Unfortunately nobody can predict the future, so if you’re in a position to buy today then don’t hesitate. Remember you’re buying a home first and an investment second.

I’m a landlord myself so, in short, yes. If you are lucky enough to have the capital, there are still some great places to consider. In east London, Ilford, Barking and Forest Gate are still achieving extremely healthy 5.5% yields, with some streets and areas even returning a yield of up to 8%. Transport links are a top priority for tenants, and the area surrounding Barking train station produces a strong 6.5% yield as well as being highly sought-after. In west London, West Drayton, Hounslow and Greenford are showing yields of over 5%, and in certain pockets such as Southall Green, this rises to over 6%. Though chasing a high yield is important, if you’re after a lucrative investment, it’s also key to invest in areas achieving strong capital growth. Infrastructure comes with regeneration and with regeneration comes property price growth. Most main investment areas are now in Zones 3 outwards, but if you are keen to buy centrally then Whitechapel and Farringdon are safe bets, thanks to Crossrail and the fact that the Silicone Roundabout is becoming a great area in which to live, work and play. For those planning further ahead, look at the Crossrail 2 map, and focus on areas such as Croydon or Wood

Thinking of selling your home? Do you know how much your home is really worth? Find out with our FREE valuation service. It’s a quick and easy process that you can carry out online or over the phone. Visit www.whathouse.com/value-my-property/value-myproperty-now or call us now on 01245 835 053.

WhatHouse? works with a team of reputable agents that will carry out the free valuation

£?

Green and the ‘Haringey Ladder’ which is primed for regeneration and gentrification. Will the night tube affect prices? Both rental yields and house prices will increase as a result of the night tube with areas at the end of the lines seeing the biggest property price rises, such as Cockfosters, High Barnet and Walthamstow. The night tube appeals to young professionals who work and party in central London but can’t afford to buy in Zone 1 or 2. Now they can push further out to more affordable areas, while still maintaining the lifestyle they want, and without spending a fortune on taxis! Is now a good or bad time to sell my property in London? If you’re looking to sell this year, we’d advise you to start the process now and not wait to see how the market pans out. If you are thinking of upsizing or moving out of London, it’s very possible to achieve the asking price with the correct marketing strategy that come with instructing a good agent. It’s a cliché term but you really do get what you pay for!

Find out more at www.portico.com; 020 7099 4000

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That’s a cracker

Old vault opened as a major new development takes place in Barking & Dagenham

a rking Riverside, a development providing some 10,800 new homes in the eastern part of the capital, has uncovered more of the borough’s history as a vault at a former power station was cracked open to reveal some fascinating documents. One of the country’s top safe engineers – who must remain unknown for security reasons – took some seven hours to unlock the vault and reveal the artefacts within, including an old safe, many decaying documents and even a long-service medal awarded to a former employee at the site. The Control Room at Barking Power Station was opened by King George V in 1925, though the vault itself dates from the 1950s. The building was closed in 1982.

Matthew Carpen, project director of the Barking Riverside development, says: “The suspense of waiting for the vault to be opened has been immense. To witness the vault door finally open and walking into the vault was pretty special and something we’ll all remember for years to come. We envisaged there being another safe but to be honest, we didn’t know what we were going to find. “The Control Room is a legacy of the Power Station and Barking’s rich history so we have every intention of restoring the building as part of the Barking Riverside development and exploring all options that could allow some form of public access.” Varsha Patel, a PR, marketing and events manager at the scheme, was the first to enter the cracked vault.

“[It] was a moment that I will cherish forever,” he says. “The smell of damp and wetness hit you as soon as the door opened. It was incredible and so exciting to see another huge safe inside as well as the other artefacts. You really did get a sense of what may have happened in the room all those years ago.” Rob Smith, historian from Footprints of London, gives a few more details of the location of the vault and the role of the area in the day-to-day running of the power station in its heyday: “The safe was located in the wages room, and on Fridays the workers at the power station would be queuing up outside the hatch in the door, eager to pick up their pay packets. Wages were paid in cash, and with so many workers at the

factory a lot of money would be onsite on pay day – hence the double safe. Wages robberies were not unusual in industrial areas where factories were well away from the police. So the finance staff at Barking Power Station were taking no chances.” The wife of the late Brian Yates, a local man who was once a security guard at the power station and possibly the last man to enter the vault before the site was left, attended the opening event as a tribute to her husband. Nita Yates says: “Brain’s happiest memories were working at the power station and at his yard. This is where he taught his girls to drive; this is where his children and grandchildren grew up and played. The girls and I are touched to have been invited today and to have the vault opening

attributed to Brian. He would have loved to have been here to see this.” With permission granted for the substantial regeneration scheme in 2007, developer L&Q will be on site for many years to provide the thousands of new homes for the area. Nearly 30,000 people are expected to live on the site eventually, supported by a significant amount of new shops, restaurants, leisure amenities, schools and community facilities. The site will also be home to a new railway station and transport hub as well as a number of public spaces. Around 700 homes from the first phase have already been occupied. Find out more about the scheme at barkingriverside.co.uk

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LUXURY SPECIFICATION, HIGH QUALITY DESIGN AND A SOUGHT-AFTER LOCATION IS PROVING A WINNING FORMULA AT WEYBRIDGE HOUSE A combination of stunning design, luxury finishes and an exclusive location on Queen’s Road in Weybridge has resulted in a high level of demand for CALA Homes’ Weybridge House development which is now over 75% sold. Weybridge House brings Georgian style to this popular residential location and comprises just four elegant five and six bedroom, four-storey townhouses, together with 17 luxury one and two bedroom apartments in a beautiful gated development.

SYMPATHETICALLY DESIGNED The success of the scheme is due in part to the quality and implementation of the architectural detailing throughout. The exterior has been designed in late Georgian style, featuring a brick and stucco façade,

slate roof tiling and an impressive portico to each main entrance, giving the properties a great sense of stature and kerbside appeal. The elevations are skillfully designed to complement and enhance the local architecture along Queen’s Road with an arrangement creating a highly attractive terrace of properties of varying size and appearance. The roofs are of steeply pitched slate and incorporate both a Venetian feature window and dormer windows of varying sizes sitting behind the parapet walls. Recognised as the epitome of this late Georgian period, 6x6 pane sash windows are provided throughout to all elevations, reinforcing the overall quality of the development.

A mix of stock brick and stuccoed elevations reinforce the varied streetscene, while stone cornices, rubbed brick heads and stone cills provide consistent architectural details throughout.

REFINED MODERN LIVING With external finishes inspired by and sympathetic to their surroundings, you’ll find just as much character and personality on the inside too. Apartments range from 750 to 2,110 sq ft, while the four townhouses offer 2,750 to 3,330 sq ft of spectacular living space, set over four storeys. Full of light and contemporary space, with CALA’s highest specification throughout, many boast private patios and terraces and all benefit from secure, allocated underground parking.

All designed for the height of refined modern living, each of the properties feature contemporary kitchens with fully integrated energy efficient appliances, Villeroy & Boch porcelain sanitaryware, motionsensor LED night lights to the bathrooms and en suites, heated towel rails, underfloor heating, video or audio-based entry systems with remote opening, outside lighting with dusk-to-dawn sensors and real time energy monitors.

INTERIORS BROUGHT TO LIFE The spectacular townhouse showhome at Weybridge House allows buyers to see for themselves the thoughtful design, attention to detail and high specification offered by these stunning new homes. The showhome was created by Hayley Holland, senior interior designer at Vogue Showhomes, and demonstrates the latest interior design trends. Hayley explains: “A well thought-out showhome is vital as it shows visitors how the space can be used and allows people to imagine themselves living there. At Weybridge House, my focus was to create a high-end contemporary and sophisticated home keeping a family of young professionals in mind. The townhouse is in a stunning setting in the middle of an affluent leafy suburb so it was important to reflect this by bringing the outdoors into the interior by incorporating natural colours and textures. The colour palette is light, bright and fresh focusing on soft taupes and bright lime green to add a splash of vibrant colour – giving this home a true wow-factor. In the sitting room, I have designed a lavish formal space that will never fail to impress when entertaining guests for dinner parties. A predominantly neutral palette has been used throughout, with a burst of colour from the rich lime green coffee table acting as the room’s centerpiece. A bespoke media unit and hand-painted canvas really add a statement to this room too. The spacious kitchen/dining area has an inviting ambience featuring plush crushed velvet seating in lime green, adding depth against the dark wood table and high-specification kitchen units.

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The townhouse also features a fabulous TV room perfect for all the family time or as an enviable chillout space. Here, we have a relaxed modern space for informal entertaining with a large corner sofa, comfy bean bags and an impressive, bespoke TV unit for all-important relaxation time. A dash of lively teal has also been introduced into this room. Upstairs, the stunning master suite could easily be mistaken for an elegant boutique hotel bedroom. An unmistakable air of luxury has been created with layered cushions and throws alongside a plush sofa and coffee table placed at the foot of the bed. The leafy location was the inspiration for the children’s bedrooms. A woodland animal themed mural adorns the wall of one with an array of lush green accents throughout giving a real taste of being in the great outdoors.

Weybridge has excellent train links into London and easy road links to the M3 and M25 motorways. Weybridge House is one mile equidistant between Weybridge and Walton-on-Thames mainline stations, providing regular trains into London Waterloo in around 30 minutes.

DON’T MISS OUT There are now just three 2 bedroom apartments and two 5 bedroom townhouses remaining at Weybridge House, with prices starting from £775,000.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Weybridge House is located in the heart of the Surrey town of Weybridge. Nestled between the Wey and Thames rivers, Weybridge is a highly desirable commuter town and home to exclusive, leafy residential areas and renowned private estates. The fashionable bars, coffee shops, restaurants, boutiques and salons on Queen’s Road are only a short stroll from Weybridge House. A cycle studio, art galleries and a choice of convenience stores are also in easy reach. Weybridge offers great leisure facilities, including David Lloyd Leisure (Brooklands), St George’s Hill Golf Club, Weybridge Cricket Club and Weybridge Lawn Tennis Club.

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two international schools nearby – The American Community School and Reed’s School which is linked with the Dutch Rijnlands Lyceum.

For families there is a great choice of schools in the area with Cleves Junior School, St George’s College and Oatlands Primary School, which achieved ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in 2010. There are also

For further information, please visit cala.co.uk

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For more information visit our marketing suite, open daily from 10am to 5.00pm, call 01932 283 901 or visit cala.co.uk

CALA HO ME S

20 london

For the latest on the property market

London new homes round-up – our pick of current new builds choices

ith the Conservative Party conference taking place recently, there was increased scrutiny on Brexit, what the government has in store and, inevitably, the potential effect on property prices, particularly those on new build homes in the capital. Recent research from Savills looked at what has happened since the vote 23 June 2016 and what may be in store for London’s prime property market in the months and years ahead. Even before the referendum, London prices in the top end of the market had suffered due to the change in stamp duty structure from December 2014 and this year’s introduction of a surcharge for buyers of second and investment homes. The uncertainty of what foreign ownership may entail when Britain leaves the EU has also cooled interest (Savill’s figures show 45% of new build sales in prime London in the first half of 2016 were to overseas buyers), though for high-end buyers, London remains strongly competitive with

other major global cities (New York, Paris, Hong Kong) when it comes to residential property investment. Overall, the Savills report from September 2016 says: “We anticipate broadly flat prices over the period of 2017 and 2018 as the UK government negotiates its exit from the EU. On the basis that London retains its position as a world city and global financial centre we expect the market to rebound from 2019, though the extent of that rebound is likely to be tempered by the underlying tax environment.” How the top end affects the rest of London’s property market remains to be seen, though as our recent New Homes Debate on London Housing 2020 saw, there is a realisation from across the housebuilding industry that major changes in the supply of new homes are required quickly in order to start meeting the demands of ordinary Londoners, particularly in terms of affordability for those on modest incomes. Here we choose our favourites of the best new build homes for sale across the capital, appealing to buyers within a range of budgets:

@What_House

Jessop at New Providence Wharf in Poplar, Tower Hamlets (Genesis) There are a selection of twobedroom Shared Ownership apartments still for sale at this scheme, with a contemporary design and quality specification including full-height glazing, fully fitted kitchen with granite worktops, integrated Bosch appliances, including a dishwasher and washing machine, and chic bathrooms. This development is within walking distance of Canary Wharf and just a few stops on the Docklands Light Railway from Bank and Canning Town. New Providence Wharf is becoming a destination in its own right, offering an array of eateries, bars and leisure facilities. Canary Wharf has three shopping centres offering a mix of high-end and High Street brands, and a range of places to eat and drink. Westfield Stratford and the O2 arena are also very conveniently reached. Prices: From £121,250 (25% share)

Hampstead Manor in Hampstead, Camden (Mount Anvil) Acton Gardens in Ealing (L&Q) Some 33 Shared Ownership apartments at were released at this development this month, one of west London’s largest regeneration projects, which, over the coming years, will provide some 2,850 new homes across an urban village – a 52-acre site costing some £600m in a joint venture between L&Q and Countryside. Cathy Lloyd, sales and marketing director at L&Q, says: “Acton is now positioned firmly on the property hotspot map, fuelled by increasing

prices in nearby Chiswick and Ealing, and of course, the Crossrail effect. Shared Ownership homes at Acton Gardens offer first-time buyers a fantastic opportunity to get onto the housing ladder in a highly sought-after area, with a considerably smaller deposit required.” Prices: From £105,000 (25% share) Find out more at www.lqpricedin.co.uk; 0844 406 9800

The regeneration of Kidderpore Hall, a Greek revival mansion, and four other listed buildings is at the heart of this impressive development in one of London’s most-admired residential areas. Overall, the redevelopment project is creating 156 new homes, 31 of which are ‘affordable’, spread over 13 buildings. The new homes come in many forms, including apartments and townhouses, appealing to a spectrum of requirements and budgets, with the first scheduled for completion at the end of 2017. There will also be 92 secure

underground car parking spaces. Amenities on site will include a 24-hour concierge service and a Hampstead Manor town car service, which will run a timetable of service to nearby train and tube stations at peak and will be flexible to residents’ requirements at off-peak times. Residents can also use exclusive spa and gym facilities include a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi and ‘experience shower’. Prices: From £775,000 Find out more at www.hampsteadmanor.com; 020 3582 5461

Wimbledon Hill Park in Wimbledon, Merton (Berkeley Homes) Just a mile from Wimbledon Common Golf Club’s awardwinning greens is Berkeley Homes’ prestigious Wimbledon Hill Park development. The stylish mix of apartments and townhouses boasts landscaped formal gardens, concierge services, a resident’s gym and a private cinema and boardroom facility. A number of apartments are available on the current phase, Dukes Gardens, with another collection – Wellington Row – coming soon inside the conversion of one of Wimbledon’s most renowned buildings: the former Atkinson Morley Hospital. The sales and marketing suite is open daily from 10.00am to 6.00pm. Prices: From £1.15m Find out more at www.berkeleygroup.co.uk; 020 8226 2126

Find out more at www.genesishahomes.org.uk; 020 3773 1509

Harrow

Brent

Hillingdon

Ealing

Hounslow Richmond upon Thames

Kingsto upon Thames

Wardian London in Canary Wharf, Tower Hamlets (EcoWorld Ballymore)

Dockside in Coldharbour, Tower Hamlets (Bellway) This development is just a quarterof-an-hour on foot from Canary Wharf, with sweeping waterside views across the quay, and offers one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, all of which have a terrace or balcony. Residents can utilise the concierge service, and there is a range of amenities and shops within a short radius of home. Emma Denton, head of sales at Bellway Homes Thames Gateway, says: “Canary Wharf has really come into its own as a place to live and not just a place to work – it has a real energy and sense of opportunity, yet next to the water it can be a very peaceful place too, especially at the weekends. The

lifestyle available at Dockside is the ultimate in convenient city living: perfect for those who want to take advantage of everything Canary Wharf has to offer at a competitive price tag.” Crossharbour DLR station is just a three-minute walk from Dockside; from Canary Wharf, just three stops away, the Jubilee line offers services across London. Canary Wharf will be linked to Crossrail in 2018, speeding up travel across central London and offering direct links as far away as Essex and Berkshire. Prices: From £394,995 Find out more at www.bellway.co.uk; 0845 548 8032

Located only a three-minute walk from Cabot Square, the new homes here are situated in two tall towers rising to 50 and 55 storeys and include suites, one- and two-bedroom apartments, and penthouses, with the first residents expected to move into their homes in 2019. These botanically-inspired towers offer extensive private ‘sky gardens’, with every resident having their own tranquil oasis to escape to, and there are impressive views overlooking South Dock across Canary Wharf and the City. This inspiration is continued with ‘The Gardener’, a bespoke indoor and outdoor landscaping service, which will provide an assortment of plant packages and garden maintenance. The development will also have a landscaped public plaza, a rooftop observatory bar, two restaurants and a 25-metre open-air swimming pool set within a flourishing tropical environment. The West Tower will also feature a four-storey large landscaped area.

Royal Albert Wharf in Royal Docks, Newham (Notting Hill Sales) Waterside living is one of the major attractions for homebuyers in London, and this development combines a tranquil corner alongside the Thames with convenient proximity to Gallions Reach DLR station and its excellent connections to the rest of the Docklands and central London – along with the assistance of Help to Buy to make a purchase. Simon Neary, head of sales and marketing at Notting Hill Sales, says: “We are delighted to offer the government-backed Help to Buy scheme at Royal Albert Wharf. The

raising of the Help to Buy equity loan from 20% to 40% in London was a game-changer, enabling more buyers to get on the property ladder, especially in up-and-coming areas such as the Docklands.” Royal Albert Wharf will deliver over 1,500 new homes alongside new garden squares, and a variety of community amenities including work space, cafés, bars and restaurants, a children’s play area and a crèche. Prices: From £350,000 Find out more at royalalbertwharf.com; 020 3603 2597

Prices: POA Find out more at www.redrow.co.uk; 020 3811 5933

Enfield

Barnet Haringey

Isl

Redbridge

Waltham Forest

Havering

Hackney

Camden o ty

City of London

Tower Hamlets

Newham

Barking & Dagenham

Greenwich Bexley

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Wandsworth

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Find your new home at whathouse.com/new-homes

Lewisham

Merton

s Bromley Sutton

Croydon

The Quarry in Erith, Bexley (L&Q)

Enderby Wharf in Greenwich (Barratt London) Cook House is the current phase available at Enderby Wharf, offering 104 studio, one-, two- and threebedroom apartments, with the Help to Buy London scheme available on properties priced up to £600,000, requiring only a 5% deposit from the buyer. There’s a typically contemporary look to this Barratt London development, which will comprise 770 new homes in all when completed. At Cook House, each home has floor-to-ceiling windows and private outdoor space, with west-facing views across the

Thames towards Canary Wharf and the City providing a spectacular view of the London cityscape. The development has 200 metres of riverfront and is placed between historic Greenwich and its worldfamous heritage and comprehensive shopping and leisure options to the south and the O2 arena and is entertainment choices just to the north.

It’s an early time to make your interest in The Quarry known, as the development is not due for release until next year. It will provide at least 600 new homes and a state-of-theart, three-form-entry primary school, which will itself bring 630 new school places to the town. The design of the scheme will take into account the contours of the site, with layered platforms of homes interspersed with cycleways and footpaths. The site is surrounded by woodland, too, and will incorporate its own large conservation area, so an escape from the urban environment is easy. Erith’s current easy journey into central London – a journey time of 30 minutes – with be enhanced by the

addition of a Crossrail connection via nearby Abbey Wood from 2019. Andrew Jay, group managing director at The Anderson Group, says: “Erith Quarry was integral to the local community for nearly two centuries, but since quarrying ended in the 1960s it has lain neglected and become overgrown. We’re really excited to be working with L&Q to reimagine this vital piece of land at the heart of Erith into a sustainable neighbourhood which will deliver much-needed new homes, green community spaces and a landmark primary school.”

Prices: £425,000 Find out more at www.barratthomes.co.uk; 0844 811 4334

Prices: £TBA Find out more at thequarryerith.co.uk

1, 2 & 3 bedr oom shar ed ownership apart ment s i n a n aw ar d- w i nni ng SE 3 Development

K i d b ro o ke Vi l l age i s an award-winning development locat e d in t h e h ig h ly so u g h t - a f t e r S E 3 p o stcode, set wit hin 136 acres of open space and o n ly a f if t e e n m in u t e jo u r n e y f ro m L o ndon Br i dge. A g reat place to call home Kidbrooke V illage is more than a place to live, the development includes sports facilitie s, shops, a supermarket, bars, restaurants, schools, healthcare, community facilities and a hotel. The current phase, Blackheath Quarter includes 1 x one bedroom apartment and 10 x two bedroom apartments (two of which are wheelchair adaptable) that are available to purchase with shared ownership. Coming early 2018, Meridian Gate will consist of 21 x one bedroom apartments, 45 x two bedroom apartments and 20 x three bedroom apartments (three of which are wheelchair adaptable). Kidbrooke V illage has been built by Berkeley and is one of their biggest regeneration projects to date costing an estimated ÂŁ1 billion, making it one of the largest residential developments in London. It consists of four distinct yet integrated neighbourhoods; City Point, Blackheath Quarter, Kidbrooke V illage Centre and Meridian Gate.

M OAT- K I D BROOKEVIL L AG E.C O.UK For more information contact:

PAU L A T U R NER 0845 359 6387 paula.tur ner@moat.co.uk

Part of:

In line with gover nment priorities, top priority for these homes at Kidbrooke V illage is awarded to serving military personnel and former members of the British Armed Forces honourably discharged in the last two years. People who live or work in Bexley, Bromley, Lewisham, Greenwich or Southwark will also receive priority. Moat Homes Limited is a charitable housing association. Other eligibility criteria apply. Ref 310 8/16

24 london

For the latest on the property market

Park life £60m already spent on super-prime properties near Regent’s Park

uyers have already snapped up a number of the newly converted apartments at Park Crescent, just to the south of Regent’s Park, with the individually designed homes appealing to a mix of London and overseas purchasers. The development from Amazon Property is aimed at the super-prime market, with the recent release of substantial apartments ranging from around £3.95m to £20m. Visitors over the past couple of weeks have also had the privilege of seeing these apartments – each decorated and furnish by a different interior designer – supplemented with some outstanding artwork from names such as Salvador Dali, David Hockney and

Marc Chagall. Grade I listed Park Crescent is a familiar street on the southern edge of Regent’s Park that also shares in the exclusive use of over eight acres of gardens. Designed by John Nash and originally completed in 1820, the street has a fascinating history and is now being converted into 20 two- to four-bedroom apartments with a total value of £200m. Chris Lanitis, a director at Amazon Property, says: “For the main launch of The Park Crescent we have created six stunning apartments-and-art residences which showcase the very best in luxury and interior design and artwork by world-renowned and young up-and-coming artists. One of the key unique and sought after features of

The Park Crescent are the high ceilings and large principal rooms which lend themselves to providing a stunning canvas for displaying important works of art.” His fellow director Charles Gourgey, adds: “In our view this is the most exceptional, unique and exciting property launch in London this year. Visitors to the launch will have the opportunity to view previously unseen dressed residences and view beautiful works of art in our ‘mini-Frieze’ showcase created by our art curator House of the Nobleman. In addition, guests can tour the eight acres of private gardens, whose landscaping is modelled on Buckingham Palace.” Originally the residence of Brazil’s first London ambassador, Viscount

Manoel Rodrigues Gameiro Pessoa, it remained that role until it was bombed in 1941. Other fellow pre-war residents were former US ambassador Charles Francis Adams, mining magnate Sir Carl Meyer, surgery pioneer Sir Joseph Lister and Count Joseph-Napoleon Bonaparte, brother of the famous French Emperor. Many parts of Park Crescent later served as office buildings, only now being largely converted back to luxurious residential property. A number of leading interior designers, such as 1508 London, Taylor Howes and DH Liberty, have taken their own approach top fitting out each unique apartment, with their own taste in decoration to match the spectrum of bespoke features used, from individual kitchens and dressing rooms to doors, handles and refurbished floor-to-ceiling windows. The current collection of secondrelease apartments stretch from 1,429 sq ft 4,127 sq ft, with ceilings up to 3.8 metres high. The entire first release has already been sold, with a variety of buyers including London residents downsizing from substantial properties in prime neighbourhoods of the capital such

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as Hampstead and St John’s Wood, with 20% of purchasers from the Gulf region. Lanitis remarks: “For our phase two release we anticipate significant interest from British families relocating from north-west London, and buyers from continental Europe and the Middle East. With the repositioning of pound sterling against the dollar, we anticipate that our phase two release will continue to be driven by domestic downsizers, but could also see a rise in interest from dollar-linked overseas buyers from the Middle East and Asia.”

Find out more at www.theparkcrescent.com; 020 7861 5321 (Knight Frank), 020 7724 4724 (Aston Chase)

Find your new home at whathouse.com/new-homes

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A collection of photos of the latest release at Park Crescent, with a range of individually designed apartments and, temporarily, a collection of works from some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best-known artists

Surpassing all expectations for 25 years

Bewley Homes was founded in 1991 on the simple philosophy of providing quality, aspirational homes in highly desirable areas. 25 years later weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re proud to announce that this passion and set of core values remains as steadfast today as it did all those years ago.

Call 0845 68 68 600 or visit www.bewley.co.uk

For the latest on the property market

surrey

@What_House

Shop ahoy! ‘Waitrose effect’ bodes well for new Horley homes

h e ‘Waitrose effect’ has been talked about for some time, suggesting that when the well-respected supermarket decides to open a new branch somewhere, property prices in that area are likely to surge as it gains attraction with homebuyers. In fact, research from Lloyds Bank backs up this reputation, showing that living close to a Waitrose can add an average of £22,000 to the value of

your home, compared to something comparable well away from the shop. Located on the doorstep of a large Waitrose, Bellway’s Sovereign Place, which is launching soon, is in a prime location in Horley, with the added benefit of also being within easy reach of a host of other amenities in the town. The development will offer oneand two-bedroom apartments and some two-bedroom houses, meaning it’s a perfect choice for first-time buyers and downsizers in particular.

All properties offer open-plan living with stylish fitted kitchen units, highquality integrated Zanussi appliances and chic bathrooms. Prices will be announced at the launch. Mark Harrop, head of sales at Bellway Homes South London, says: “It’s all about location, location, location when it comes to property. Travel connections and local amenities can have an impact on the value, and Sovereign Place is a prime example of that. The location in the heart of Horley, and directly opposite

Rural living

a Waitrose, makes this an attractive development, ready to be snapped up by savvy house-hunters or investors who recognise the value of the surrounding area, not only as a place to live but as a long-term investment opportunity. “With the development launch imminent, we would advise interested purchasers to register their interest as soon as possible.” Aside from its own excellent range of shops and useful amenities, together with an impressive collection of sports

clubs and facilities, Horley also offers quick access to even more at nearby Crawley and Redhill. Horley is popular with commuters, and not just those in London. Services from its station, just a stroll from Sovereign Place, include many frequent ones to Brighton, Crawley and Croydon, while Gatwick Airport is just minutes away by rail and road. Find out more at www.bellway.co.uk; 0333 577 1663

‘The HopeLarches’, Cottage, Hipley – £1.1m Woldingham, £2.7m

This month, we head to the country to view two homes on the market with Fine & Country in Surrey. Find out more at www.fineandcountry.com; 01883 653040

‘Melathron’, Godstone, £2.5m

This six-bedroom detached barn conversion with an attached studio is a unique opportunity to acquire an impressive family home of 5,914 sq ft, set within gated grounds of around five acres and looking out over a well-stocked lake to the front. The main house consists of an impressive reception hall dining room, dual-aspect kitchen/breakfast room and a stunning galleried sitting room with inglenook fireplace and vaulted ceiling. There is a study with double doors to the side of the house. Two ground floor bedrooms (one with kitchenette) are served by a Jack & Jill bathroom and there is a separate utility room.

To the first floor the large master bedroom suite enjoys an en suite dressing room and shower room. There is a guest suite and two further double bedrooms with shower room. The studio apartment is located over the garage and features a kitchenette and shower room and can be accessed via its own external staircase. Located between the villages of Godstone and Woldingham, Caterham is nearby and offers comprehensive shopping facilities and rail and road links into London and beyond. The area boasts some outstanding schools including Caterham and Woldingham.

Set amidst the beauty of the Surrey countryside, high up on the North Downs, The Larches enjoys views toward open countryside in a tranquil country setting away from the bustle of the city yet within easy commuting distance. This substantial Berkeley Homes-built family residence standing within landscaped grounds of three-quarters of an acre including a swimming pool and self-contained pool house. Constructed in 1998, The Larches offers over 5,000 sq ft of living accommodation arranged off a grand central reception hall giving way to an imposing central staircase. Arranged over two floors the accommodation has been planned to take full advantage of the east–west orientation with four sets of doors opening onto the sun terrace. Double doors from the family section of the open-plan kitchen afford a delightful aspect across to the heated pool and pool house beyond.

The kitchen was comprehensively refitted five years ago complete with granite work surfaces and Amtico oak flooring. To the first floor, the galleried landing is light and imposing. Each of the five bedrooms has an en suite bathroom. The pool building serves as a summer house and comprises a fully equipped kitchen of the large floor area used for games and entertaining. The impressive gated frontage provides secure parking for several vehicles in addition to the triple garage. The popular Woodlea Junior School and independent Woldingham Girls School are close by. The village offers a convenience store and post office, saddlery and garage. There is easy access to surrounding green belt countryside with its network of footpaths and bridleways. Woldingham Station offers a frequent service direct to London Victoria in approximately 35 minutes.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moving has given me a new lease of lifeâ&#x20AC;? Mrs Daniele Bruneau, Homeowner, Willesden Green

Typical bedroom

Typical kitchen

Typical club lounge

Two solutions for your retirement: Retirement Living Dedicated concierge Club lounge

Assisted Living Enjoy all the benefits of Retirement Living plus:

Table service restaurant

24 hour emergency service

Wellbeing suite

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Estates Management 24 hours a day

Private parking

Flexible care packages

For further information about McCarthy and Stone or to arrange an appointment, please contact 0800 201 4661 or visit www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk

Visit one of our developments to find out how a move to McCarthy & Stone could benefit you

Visit before 31st October 2016 and receive a £10 Marks and Spencer gift card.* * Visit www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk/terms-andconditions/marks-and-spencer-vouchers for full terms and conditions.

NOW SELLING Opening times: 10:30am – 5pm Tuesday to Saturday Retirement Living Heron Place Nurseries Road, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, OX5 1FU

Artist impression

Retirement Living Turner House St Margarets Way, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9FU

Petworth

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Midhurst

Wolsey Place 49-51 London Road, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 3FU

% e 80 rv se

Retirement Living

Kidlington

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Hailsham

Retirement Living Morgan Court Station Road, Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0FE Opening times: By appointment only – please call ahead

Meadows House New Zealand Avenue, Walton-onThames, Surrey, KT12 1PG

t fe r ou o f ab n sk um A ut ra

Willesden Green

Retirement Living

Liberty House 246 Kingston Road, Raynes Park, London, SW20 8DA

% e 60 rv se

Assisted Living

Walton-on-Thames

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Retirement Living Springhill House Willesden Lane, Willesden Green, London, NW2 5DG

To book an appointment or find out more please call 0800 201 4138

COMING SOON – UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Bexleyheath

Canterbury

Retirement Living

181-185 Broadway, Bexleyheath, Kent, DA6 7ER

St Lawrence Ground, Old Dover Road, Canterbury, CT1 3NZ Artist impression

Artist impression

Guildford

Maidenhead

Assisted Living

The Clockhouse 140 London Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1UW

Swift House St Lukes Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 7AJ Artist impression

Artist impression

Wokingham

Assisted Living

Retirement Living

Sydney Court Lansdown Road, Sidcup, Kent, DA14 4EF

Queen’s Gate Wellington Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 2AN Artist impression

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Sidcup

Artist impression P-SE-OTH-AR-ZZZ-WHDPS

Computer generated images

SURPRISINGLY LONDON Gladstone Village, Cricklewood, NW2, an exclusive development of contemporary apartments and houses forming a new community on the edge of Gladstone Park comprising 2, 3 & 4 bedroom houses and 2 bedroom apartments for sale, and 1 & 2 bedroom apartments for shared ownership.

2, 3 & 4 BED HOUSES FROM ÂŁ755,000 2 BED APARTMENTS FROM ÂŁ555,000 www.gladstonevillage.co.uk

020 8459 1133

newhomes@cameronsstiff.co.uk

For the latest on the property market

sussex

@What_House

Take five Taylor Wimpey’s five-bedroom ‘Wilton’ property makes a perfect family choice

o r family-home buyers in East Sussex looking for a home close to coast, countryside and transport links, Taylor Wimpey’s Pinewood Gardens development in the village of Stone Cross could be the perfect choice and the fivebedroom ‘Wilton’ detached house the ideal property. The ‘Wilton’ on Plot 58 has a specification and layout to satisfy any family, and at £429,995 it is a competitive price, particularly for those moving from expensive areas closer to London. The house is laid out over three storeys, giving generous living space to every family member. The entrance hallway leads to a study – great for those spending more time working from home these days – and a living room. At the back of the house is an open-plan kitchen/dining room with access to the rear garden. On the first floor is the master bedroom, with the luxury of a dressing room as well as an en suite shower

room, along with two further bedrooms and a family bathroom. On the top flor are two more bedrooms and a shower room. Outside, the property benefits from a double garage and allocated parking for two cars. Help to Buy and Part Exchange are options for buyers to consider. Just east of Polegate and north of Eastbourne, Stone Cross has lots to offer, with a wide array of amenities within a short distance of the development including shops, supermarkets, a medical centre and a pub. Stone Cross Primary School is close by too, ideal for families with young children. Other local towns such as Polegate and Hailsham offer their own choice of facilities within just a few minutes’ drive. Located between the South Downs and The Weald, Stone Cross is ideally located for anyone who loves the country life, with much to explore close to home. The coast is also close by, with Eastbourne five miles away and Bexhill, Hastings and Brighton all

Hove – a buyer’s guide

within easy reach. Transport links include the A22 and A27, for destinations along the coast

and inland, while there are a number of stations within easy reach for journeys to London, Ashford International and

Gatwick Airport, among many others. Find out more at www.taylorwimpey.co.uk; 01732 836000

This month, Chris Sawyer, a director of Sawyer and Co, with offices in Hove, Brighton and Portslade, reveals the fact behind living in Hove HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Starting out as just a single street in the 12th century, Hove quickly developed following the Coronation of 1821 when the Brunswick estate of large Regency houses was developed on the seafront at the eastern end of the parish, near the boundary with fashionable Brighton. These days a well-known reply by residents of Hove when asked if they live in Brighton is ‘’Hove actually’’ thus maintaining a distinction with their less-genteel neighbour!!

HOVE HAS ITS OWN IDENTITY Central Hove stretches roughly from Hove Street in the west to Grand Avenue and Palmeira Square in the east, bounded to the north by Old Shoreham Road, with the English Channel to the south. Church Road abounds with restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars pedestrianised George Street regularly plays host to French and farmer’s markets. Hove shopping offers an impressive array of funky interior design shops, fashion boutiques and specialist shops jostling alongside international restaurants, organic greengrocers and independent cafes. The buildings and architecture of central Hove are its greatest attraction

along with the seafront and Hove Lawns. This is a very popular location as it has the urban feel of a city but with the splendour of period properties and the space and freshness of coastal life. Further along the coast to the west and north are beautiful family homes and quaint terraced houses, making Hove a versatile and popular residential locale, affordable housing existing alongside more exclusive high end residences.

WHO BUYS IN HOVE? Our demographic is very varied. Like Brighton, Hove continues to attract buyers from the London. It’s is very popular for young professionals and young families attracted by the excellent primary and three major secondary schools. There are also plenty of highquality apartments, which are also attractive to downsizers and despite the new unfavourable tax rules for landlords, demand from buy-to-let investors may have cooled a little but by no means has it disappeared. Direct trains to London take just over an hour so commuting is very possible. There are also numerous bike lanes across the city and along the seafront. The A259 connects Hove to the east and west coastal areas and access to the A23/M23 is minutes away by car.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE LOCAL MARKET? We have a very stable market here in Hove. Prices are static, stock is at a very low level and demand from prospective buyers is very consistent. Prices for a two-bedroom apartment within walking distance of the seafront start at around £270,000. A sea view commands a premium. Family houses three or four bedrooms upwards close to the shops, restaurants and seafront start in excess of £600,000.

THE BIG OUTDOORS Sports and leisure facilities are outstanding. The Brighton & Hove Hockey Club ground is based in Hove and there is a golf club in West Hove. Beautiful parks such as Hove Park and St. Anne’s Well Gardens boast generous green open spaces, children’s play areas and cafés. The King Alfred Leisure Centre has a swimming pool and gym and Hove Lagoon offers a variety of water sports plus the highly popular Big Beach Café, a children’s playground and paddling pool. Stunning coastal walks, Hove beach, and a wide, smooth promenade make it perfect for walks. Find out more at www.sawyerandco.co.uk; 01273 778844

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You can download every issue of South free of charge to read on your favourite device 01/09/2016 09:39

34 kent

For the latest on the property market

Life of luxury

@What_House

Barnden Farm Hipley – £1.1m Hope Cottage, Ashford, £1.85m

This month, we look at two sought-after homes on the market in Ashford, Kent, with Savills. Find out more at www.savills.com; 01580 720161

Home Farm Ashford, £1.695m

A winner of the RIBA Downland Prize in 2008, this thoughtfully designed property has extended the original period farmhouse incorporating state-of-the-art technology with Crestron home automation system and Lutron lighting, together with a superb contemporary indoor swimming pool complex with first-floor guest accommodation and gym. From the main entrance hall an oak staircase with glazed panels leads to the first floor where five beautifully presented bedrooms are served by four bath-/shower rooms. The principal bedroom suite features full-height galleried windows, an en suite shower room and a spa bath. The stylish kitchen/breakfast room is fitted with an extensive range of sleek

modern cupboards by Poggenpohl with Corian work surfaces. Well-proportioned reception rooms include an impressive triple-aspect drawing room featuring a wood-burning stove and bi-fold doors to the terrace. A glazed link continues through to the superb swimming pool complex. The beautifully landscaped gardens have expanses of lawn, borders planted with roses and lavender, box hedging, herb beds and mature copper beech hedging. A High Speed train service runs from London St Pancras to Ashford in 38 minutes. Trains to London Charing Cross and Cannon Street run from Westenhanger station. Eurostar trains are available from Ashford International with trains to Paris in about 1 hour 52 minutes.

This beautiful Grade II listed, six-bedroom property has been sympathetically extended and refurbished using a variety of local reclaimed materials. The property also includes a pretty Grade II listed detached single oast to the south-east of the property with a sitting room, kitchen, two bedrooms with en suite facilities, a superb thatched unconverted barn and grounds of about 9.3 acres. The well-presented accommodation in the main house is arranged over three floors and features a double-height reception hall, overlooked by a galleried landing. Four well-proportioned reception rooms comprise a drawing room with French doors to the garden, a formal dining room, a study and a triple aspect sitting/family room with terracotta floor tiles and attractive fireplace. The excellent kitchen/breakfast room, situated within the oldest part of the house,

H School’s in Nearby educational excellence draws family buyers to Ryarsh Park

New Redrow homes at Ryarsh Park are sure to score top marks with parents who want the best for their children

boasts a range of hand-painted cupboards and central island by Mark Wilkinson. There are four-bedrooms to the first floor all of which have en suite bath or shower rooms. The master bedroom benefits from a walk-in dressing room. Two further bedrooms, a shower, separate WC and excellent range of cupboards are located on the second floor. Barnden Farm is approached via timber gates, which open to a substantial gravel parking area. The level-lawned gardens surround the house and feature a variety of specimen trees, planted borders, a pond and orchard. Within the garden there is a superb recreational barn with open fireplace, kitchen and BBQ area, ideal for parties and al fresco dining. There is also a heated swimming pool with electric cover and paved surround in the grounds.

use-hunters in Kent o are taking a close look at the new homes options at Redrow’s Ryarsh Park due to the wide array of high-quality schools in the area. With local primary schools rated outstanding by Ofsted nearby, plus Kent’s grammar schools within easy reach, new Redrow homes at Ryarsh Park are sure to score top marks with parents who want the best for their children. The family homes enjoy a leafy location, yet are close to the amenities of both Ryarsh and nearby West Malling. Maidstone is also just a short journey away, while London Victoria is less than an hour’s train ride from West Malling station. Factor in the combination of the traditional exteriors and the high specification interiors designed to meet the demands of modern family living and it’s no surprise that the properties are proving popular. Rachael Baillie, sales director for Redrow Homes (South East), said: “Buyers hoping to leave London in search of family-friendly destinations often want somewhere with good schools, close to the countryside and within commuting distance of the capital. Our new homes at Ryarsh Park tick all of those boxes and more. As soon as visitors arrive at the development they’re enamoured by the sweeping tree-lined approach

and that’s before they’ve viewed our flagship five-bedroom Highgrove show home. “Viewing really is essential as the homes here are the perfect solution for those who want to escape to the countryside and embrace a more family-friendly pace of life than London offers.” Current availability at Ryarsh Park includes a good selection of three-, four- and five-bedroom properties from Redrow’s Arts & Crafts influenced Heritage Collection. With prices ranging from £389,995 to £994,995, there are homes to cater for a variety of budgets. “The premiums commanded by properties in the capital mean that the time spent commuting from somewhere like Ryarsh Park is easily offset against the price differential between Kent and London,” Rachael adds. “Plus, because the homes are brand new, parents will be able to spend more quality time with their families instead of wasting weekends on home improvements.”

The show home at Ryarsh Park on Roughetts Road, West Malling, is open daily from 10am to 5.30pm. Alternatively, for more information call 01732 605211 or see www.redrow.co.uk/ryarsh

Rotherfield Garth, Henley-on-Thames

We don’t build homes to win awards (but it’s nice when we do) Our bespoke approach to housebuilding enables us to create homes of distinction in prime locations with an outstanding level of customer service. Whether it’s traditional family houses, homes inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, statement homes that epitomize luxury living or our unique Cotswold Collection of bespoke properties, you’ll see this ethos in all of our superb developments.

Developing in these prime locations Berkshire: Ascot // Birmingham: Harborne // Buckinghamshire: Gerrards Cross Gloucestershire: Broadway, Cheltenham, Chipping Campden, Fairford, Stow-on-the-Wold Oxfordshire: Henley-on-Thames // Somerset: Clevedon Warwickshire: Welford-on-Avon

Best Small Housebuilder

Residential Developer of the Year

Bespoke & Urban Developer of the Year

www.spifirepg.co.uk

Time to indulge In a stunning retirement village like no other, it’s now time to indulge yourself with our first class facilities . Enjoy alfresco lunch at the deli or an evening in the bistro with friends. A superb range of village apartments as well as spacious luxury care suites offering all the support you might need from meals and housework to personal care.

• Independent living • Homecare • Wellness Centre and Spa • Bistro

Autumn offer: £2000* towards help with moving in to one of our luxury care suites For information on our range of accommodation and care, visit:

bishopstokepark.co.uk or call 0808 231 4658 Church Road, Bishopstoke, Hampshire SO50 6DN

*Terms and conditions apply. Offer valid until 30/11/2016

Introducing Royal Crescent. New Phase Launching 10th September. Call Today To Experience The St Edward Difference And Arrange Your Exclusive Appointment.

Royal Crescent is a striking, graceful building of luxuriously specified homes overlooking beautifully manicured gardens and a peaceful water feature. This new release of apartments and penthouses is the crowning glory of Stanmore Place. Benefits include 24 hour concierge, residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; gym, car share club and excellent 24 hour Jubilee Line connections to central London from adjacent Canons Park station.

2 & 3 bedroom apartments from ÂŁ475,000. Call 020 3627 4658 to attend the launch. Help to Buy also available on selected apartments

Sales & Marketing Suite open daily 10am to 6pm (Thursdays until 8pm). Stanmore Place, Honeypot Lane, London HA7 1BT. Prices correct at time of going to press and subject to availability. Computer generated image depicts Royal Crescent and is indicative only. Photography depicts Showhome and lifestyle and is indicative only.

www.stanmoreplace.co.uk Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

38 hampshire

Period property of the month with Winkworth

h is substantial detached family home on the prestigious ‘Island’ in Steep, near Petersfield in Hampshire, has been redesigned by the current owner to create large, open-plan areas for flexible family entertainment. The well-proportioned rooms are now flooded with light and flow effortlessly. The house offers wonderful family living with a classic yet contemporary style. The kitchen/dining/family room, with a wealth of exposed oak, brickwork and windows, overlooks the main garden. Two of the five bedrooms are found on the ground floor, one en suite to form a guest suite or accommodation for generational living or a nanny. The master bedroom with en suite, two further bedrooms, family bathroom and games room are all on the first floor. Outside, the house is approached by a gravel drive with a large parking area leading to a detached double garage and detached brick-built studio. The house sits in grounds approaching one acre. The main garden lies to the rear of the house on the south side. Predominantly laid to

lawn with a variety of mature trees, hedging and plants, the garden, complete with outside fireplace, is ideal for entertaining during the summer months. The property is situated in the sought-after village of Steep in an exclusive private development called The Island, just 1.5 miles north of Petersfield in the heart of the South Downs National Park. Petersfield offers a variety of amenities in a bustling town centre. Shops include Waitrose, M&S Food and Tesco and there are numerous boutiques, cafés and further shops. Petersfield station has trains to London Waterloo in approximately an hour. The Hindhead Tunnel now provides congestion-free travel north along the A3 to Guildford and London. There are many excellent schools in the area including Bedales, Churcher’s College, Ditcham Park, The Petersfield School and Bohunt School. This property is priced at £1.35m.

Find out more at www.winkworth.co.uk/petersfield; 01730 267274

New waterfront homes launched in Southampton

omebuyers and investors in the Southampton area can now discover the first details of a brand new development in the city, with developer Inland Homes having unveiled the first phase of Meridian Waterside on Saturday 8 October. The Meridian Waterside development

is located on the former site of Meridian television and will eventually see the construction of 350 homes, to be released in four phases. There will be a choice of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes, with courtyard gardens and a new riverside walk along the Itchen. The first release comprises 54 homes and they are expected to be of interest to a wide range of homebuyers and buy-to-let investors.

Some buyers may already have seen broad plans for the area, as Inland Homes was at the Southampton Boat Show demonstrating how the redeveloped riverside would look. Vicki Noon, sales and marketing director for Inland Homes, says: “There is great excitement surrounding the launch of this striking new development and we are expecting the

launch event to be very busy. Security at the football stadium is tight and we encourage buyers to register with us in advance of the event so that they have the best chance of securing the property they want.” Inland Homes is also creating new homes elsewhere in Southampton, at Chapel Riverside, a project in partnership with Southampton City Council to

regenerate a former depot. Both schemes form part of a long-term riverfront regeneration by the council, one of seven VIPs (very important projects) in the council’s city masterplan. You can register for the event at sales@inlandplc.com or Southampton_RDS@savills.com Find out more at www.inlandhomes.co.uk; 02380 713965 (Savills)

Rethinking Retirement. At PegasusLife we are on a mission to rethink and reinvent the places in which we live as we get older. Drawing inspiration from our surroundings, we take time to consider who will want to live in each location and the things that matter to them: whether that’s space for the family, kitchen gardens, coastal views, access to the city or stretches of open greenery. We are currently developing 30 sites across the country, each one unique, with a range of services on offer. Get in touch to find out more.

Carriages is a collection of 28 one and two bedroom apartments offering views across Purley and the surrounding greenery.

Built around a walled garden and central lawn, Hortsley is a collection of 38 one and two bedroom apartments close to Seaford’s high street and coastline.

carriagespurley.co.uk

hortsley.co.uk

Bordering Horsell Common, Moor’s Nook is a collection of 34 one and two bedroom apartments close to the historic town of Woking.

Hampstead Green Place is a collection of 59 one, two and three bed apartments in the heart of one of London’s most historic villages.

moorsnook.co.uk

hampsteadgreenplace.co.uk

Developments coming soon Cheltenham • Tetbury • Hampstead • Falmouth • Clifton, Bristol • Westminster Harpenden •Portishead •Wilmslow • Guildford • Brockenhurst • Canford Cliffs Chigwell • Horsell • Dawlish • Seaford • Purley • Bath • Lichfield • Sidmouth Banstead • Sandbanks • Lyndhurst • Central Bristol • Sevenoaks

020 7022 0880 | pegasuslife.co.uk

Retirement living, but not as you know it

“ What will I do without you?”

Sick, in j and ho ured m pets ha eless ve r on us s elied ince 1897

Pets into Care Put their future in our hands

Our Pets into Care Scheme gives you peace of mind by caring for your pet should they outlive you. We understand how much your pets mean to you and how important it is that they are well looked after, no matter what happens. It is free to register your pet onto the Scheme but to help us manage the costs involved we’d be very grateful if you would consider making a donation or leaving us a gift in your Will. To find out more about our FREE Pets into Care Scheme please complete the coupon opposite and send to: Freepost BLUE CROSS FOR PETS Alternatively, call or email us and quote: PIC87 Telephone: 0300 777 1757 Email: legacy@bluecross.org.uk

Please send me: more information on Pets into Care a free, no-obligation pack on making or amending a Will Title:

First name:

Surname: Address:

Postcode: Telephone:

Thank you for your continued support.

www.bluecross.org.uk

Blue Cross is a charity registered in England and Wales (224392) and in Scotland (SC040154). *From time to time we may wish to communicate with you by phone with news about the pets you are helping and ways you can help in the future. If you are happy for us to do this, please fill in your details above. We will never sell or share your data. 17909 What House - 265 x 340 - pic87.indd 1

06/09/2016 15:10

interiors

Find your new home at whathouse.com/new-homes

Helen Johnson painted this charity shop bargain table in a Rust-Oleum gloss finish liquorice paint, £18.99 per 750ml, then pasted wallpaper samples to the draw fronts. She use silver furniture paint on the handles for added glamour, www.decoratingcentreonline.co.uk

Mix materials and finishes for a stylised look; upcycled cabinet by Anouska Lancaster, www.noushkadesign.com

Kate Gould’s The Wasteland garden www.kategouldgardens. com, which won a Gold medal at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, featured an innovative chair made from a steel bath tub by eco designer Max McMurdo, whose company Reestore specialises in upcycling everyday waste objects

Decorative paint expert Annie Sloan says: “Upcycling is a perfect way to transform something quite cheaply while still expressing your creativity. I find that taking a piece of furniture that may have seen better days and transforming it into something new, with just a little bit of love, time and paint, can be utterly therapeutic.” Annie uses her own brand of Chalk Paint, £18.95 per litre, www.anniesloan.com

Complementary shades of Sunflower Yellow and Flamingo pink dyes have been selected for their vibrancy to brighten up these curtains and accessories; Dylon fabric dyes from £3.39 per pack, www.dylon.co.uk

Wanted, not wasted

Richenda Oldham goes in search of her inner trash to learn more about the increasingly popular trend of upcycling

t op! The next time you think about taking a battered old piece of furniture to the dump, just pause a few seconds to look at it with a fresh pair of eyes. Because you could be throwing away the perfect upcycling opportunity. Most people are familiar with the concept of recycling and the importance of sending less waste to landfill. But upcycling – or creative reuse – is a different beast, as its purpose is to convert old or discarded items into something useful or

beautiful, whereas recycling breaks the material down so the base product can be made into something else. Upcycling is not a new concept. Our grandparents were doing it as a matter of course in the 1930s and 1940s, when money was tight and even more so when rationing came into force during World War Two. Make do and mend was the prevailing mantra and consequently nothing was ever thrown away and everything was repurposed. Don’t be afraid to be adventurous when starting to upcycle – mistakes can be remedied with paint, handles

can be removed and paper can be stripped off to start again. When you have run out of upcycling projects at home, go and hunt through charity shops, reclamation yards, skips, junk shops and rubbish tips. Helen Johnson of Wear Valley Decorating Centre recommends viewing every item as an opportunity for upcycling. “I’m not just talking about pieces you have around your house; I also shop with my upcycling glasses on. These days there are lots of great home accessories and affordable pieces of furniture, but sometimes they

can lack style and flair. So why not buy something you can personalise that doesn’t break the bank?” Upcycling is certainly as important as recycling, because it is a green process that removes items from the global waste stream and reduces the consumption of raw materials. Yes it does require personal ingenuity and hard work, but, unlike recycling it doesn’t use vast quantities of energy or water to break down materials. Some of the world’s leading designers have even taken upcycling to a more sophisticated level, known

as ‘luxecycling’, which interior designer Anouska Lancaster is a big fan of. “The finish of a luxecycled piece has to be sharp and clean and the attention to detail is vital. Quality is key when it comes to luxecycling. The finished product has to be fully operational and have a purpose, as well as look beautiful.” Upcycling is a way of life in some countries and certainly a regenerative design culture is increasingly in evidence in the UK, with the added benefit that it is unleashing creative talents in unexpected corners and producing some highly exciting results.

42 interiors

For the latest on the property market

@What_House

2 4 3

Air apparent

Pendant lights are a popular and versatile form of lighting with many different designs to choose from. Richenda Oldham picks her top five lights and suggests ways to hang them

1 Hallways call for a light that can add drama, sparkle and style to your home’s main entrance. Toulouse pendant light, featuring a nine-light spiral of rippled glass globes with a concealed LED light source, £192, www.darlighting.co.uk; 2 Create a focal point in your sitting room with a big bold statement light that looks good from any angle. If it is hung over a coffee table, it can be positioned lower, without the worry of people bumping their heads. Midnight II black lacquered gold plated and blown glass chandelier, £12,940, www.touchedinteriors.co.uk; 3 Brightly coloured pendants in simple but strong shapes look good against plain backgrounds and work equally well either hung on their own or in closely grouped clusters. Red Calabash pendant made from drawn aluminium in three sizes, £189-£478, www.rume.co.uk 4 A large drum pendant will look fabulous hung over a dining table - vary the height depending on the size and style of the light. Yellow Fig Leaf pendant lamp shade, £40, www.barnabyco.com 5 Multiple matching pendants with distinctive bulbs hung above a breakfast bar are the perfect solution to providing sufficient task lighting, but with style. Industrial style Triple Batten Holder with antique brass shades, £280, www.alexanderandpearl.co.uk

Eggcellent!

Whether they’re for breakfast, brunch, tea or dinner, poached eggs are a universal favourite and simple to prepare. Richenda Oldham got cracking to check out the latest aids to making perfect poached eggs 4

1 ProCook’s 20cm egg poacher with lid can accommodate up to four eggs at a time; £25, www.procook.co.uk/stores 2 Sistema Easy Eggs has been specifically designed to cook eggs in a microwave oven and is simple to use; £4.99, www.tesco.com 3 The Judge Vista four-cup egg poacher, £46.20, www.hartsofsur.com 4 The Lakeland egg cooker can poach two eggs and is dishwasher safe; £17.99, www.lakeland.co.uk 5 The VonShef 7 egg boiler, also poaches eggs; £10.99, www.amazon.co.uk 6 The Swan egg boiler and poacher can poach three eggs and has three settings - soft, medium or hard. A buzzer sounds when the eggs are ready; £19.99, www.swan-brand.co.uk

Relax in style... your style

Show Homes • Private Client Investment Property Furnishing

020 8200 5556 interiors@new–id.co.uk www.new-id.co.uk

44 interiors

For the latest on the property market

Everlong produce an environmentally friendly chalk paint that is both stylish and colourful. It is tough enough to be used indoors or outside and can be buffed to a shiny finish with a soft cloth; mesh cabinet painted with Dijon (outside) and Kingfisher (inside), £23.50 per one litre, www.everlongpaint.com

@What_House

Above: For high traffic areas such as hallways, a tough hardwearing paint is a must; Polka Dot Lifestyle emulsion (on main wall), £40 per 2.5 litres, www.earthbornpaints.co.uk Below: Chalky finishes are extremely popular, giving a luxuriously soft matt effect that mimics the effect of traditional distemper; main wall, Midnight Sun eicó chalk matt paint, £19.90 per one litre, www.eico.co.uk

Dulux’s Endurance+ is a highly durable paint that is perfect for busy households as it allows you to wipe away stains without damaging the paint beneath; £29.99 per 2.5 litres, dulux.co.uk

Crown’s MyRoomPainter app allows you to choose from a wide range of colour combinations without opening a tin of paint; www.crownpaints.co.uk

Painting my wagon Environmental regulations and consumer demand has led to new breeds of paints, from eco-friendly products to tough wipe clean formulas, Richenda Oldham discovers

h ere’s much more to choosing paints these days than just picking pretty colours. Paint finishes have become increasingly sophisticated and the quality of interior paint is such that a top of the range product will cover a wall with just a single coat, whereas cheaper brands will take three to four coats. Some of the biggest innovations include odour free and environmentally friendly paints. The chemicals in paints and the fumes that they give off are now considered harmful to health, and many paints are now branded VOC or virtually VOC free (Volatile Organic Compounds). The lack of ventilation in modern homes (due to double glazing and better insulation) only highlights the problems caused by the build-up of fumes in a newly decorated room or house. Because of the change in regulations, paint manufacturers have focused

on offering ranges of organic or environmentally friendly paints. Crown, for example have introduced their Breatheasy product, which has a 99% solvent-free formula. The company has also gone one step further with their new bathroom collection, which has a specially formulated mouldguard technology, which protects against mould, which protects against mould, while its new kitchen range features an anti-bacterial formula that kills 99.9% of household germs on paint surfaces, which helps ensure a cleaner kitchen. There is a trend towards paints that have tough finishes, which are designed to cope with the rigorous demands of modern family life. Earthborn, which is well known for its odour-free, eco-friendly products, has a new range of durable and washable virtually VOC free emulsion paints, Lifestyle, which is described as suitable for high traffic areas and which can simply be wiped down with a damp cloth to

remove stains. Dulux’s Endurance+ is another of these extra hardwearing paints. The manufacturer claims that the range is 20 times tougher than standard matt emulsion and can also be wiped clean. Another popular emerging paint type is chalk paints, which have moved across from the traditional/historic side of decorating and into mainstream. Chalk finishes are flat and absorb light, which makes their colours seem darker. They are ideal for rejuvenating old furniture and are ideal for masking defects, however they are not very stain resistant and suit low traffic areas. Everlong’s Superior Finish paint is a good quality water based chalk paint that doesn’t require any prior sanding or priming, which makes it simple and quick to use. It is a low VOC paint with little smell and is ideal for homes with allergy sufferers, as well as being safe to use on children’s toys and furniture.

46 armchair gardener 1

Find your new home at Whathouse.com 3

1 If you buy a timber greenhouse, make sure that it has been pressure treated, which ensures protection against rot for around 15-20 years, and not just stained, which will require frequent maintenance; Vale 8ft x 6ft FSC pressure treated timber greenhouse, £1,499, www.forestgarden.co.uk 2 The dome-shaped Garden Igloo is a funky looking multipurpose greenhouse that is made from PVC and can be used all year round. The transparent dome retains and has two windows plus door; £589, www.cuckooland.com 3 Choose a sunny wall for a lean-to greenhouse to be situated and make sure it is well ventilated as you want to ensure that a constant supply of cool air enters the greenhouse, as it will help growing conditions. Photo courtesy of quick-step.co.uk

4 An affordable option to a greenhouse is a mini greenhouse, which is ideal for small gardens, patios or even balconies and can be used for raising seedling or cultivating plants; Vonhaus four-tier mini greenhouse, £19.99, www.domu.co.uk

Under cover T

Richenda Oldham explores the value of greenhouses and their many uses, from nurturing seedlings to providing all-year round protection for tender species

h ere comes a point in a novice gardener’s life when they will ask themselves the question “Do I need a greenhouse?” Greenhouses offer certainty in terms of growing conditions – vital with the topsy-turvy British climate. After all, who wants to see their prized crops and topsoil washed away by flash flooding? Similarly, if you are serious about propagating your own plants, then a snug greenhouse means you can start plants early, so that they are well developed when the weather becomes warm enough to transfer them outdoors. A traditional glass fitted, timber or aluminium greenhouse is a major investment, costing over £1,000 (on average). It will require a solid, level site for it to sit on – some designs require brick or cement foundations to be in place. However, for homeowners with small gardens, there are much simpler and more affordable alternatives in the form of mini-greenhouses, which

are essentially frames with a clear polythene cover, incorporating racks. Another useful greenhouse alternative for gardens with limited room are cold frames. Essentially these are boxes with a sloping glass or plastic lid, which can be made from brick, timber, metal or glass.

GREENHOUSE DESIGNS Greenhouses vary in shape and style. The classic and most popular design is a rectangular shape with a pitched roof. There are also heptagonal and octagonal designs, which are also ideal for smaller gardens. Lean-to greenhouses can be built against the wall of your house or garage, or even a garden shed and offer good head room. If properly thought out, they can be extremely attractive and can double up as conservatories.

GLASS VERSUS PLASTIC The best form of glazing is glass, as it transmits light more efficiently than

plastic. It also reflects heat better and doesn’t degrade. The most common glass is standard horticultural glass, which is clear, practical and affordable. However, it is not ideal if you have exuberant pets or children around, as it can break very easily. Toughened safety glass is more expensive but a safer choice in a family environment. Another good choice is polycarbonate safety glazing, which is light and shatterproof, with an opaque finish.

ALUMINIUM OR TIMBER? In terms of style, it’s hard to beat a classic wooden greenhouse, but if you do opt for one, make sure that the timber has been pressure treated, which will extend the lifetime of the structure and means lower maintenance. On the other hand, aluminium, either in a natural finish or painted, is less bulky than a wooden greenhouse, plus it requires no upkeep and is both light and durable.

This elegant water bowl is built from ultra high-performance concrete to withstand extreme temperatures; Water Bowl Scupper 26 in with basin, www.solusdecor.com

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