The new homes industry has started the year with a flourish, and activity continues apace as new developments launch and events take place to assist homebuyers across the country.
New view home opens at Cambridgeshire development this month
February sees the launch of a brand new view home at CALA @ Great Kneighton, a development of 29 new homes from award-winning housebuilder CALA Homes just outside Cambridge.
The development offers a mix of two-bedroom apartments alongside three-, four- and five bedroom homes adjacent to a new 120-acre country park. The new five-bedroom ‘Skylark’ view home – completed, but unfurnished – is in addition to a professionally interior-designed four-bedroom ‘Kingfisher’ show home, with both properties allowing buyers to see the quality of build, specification and layout first-hand.
Chris Roads, sales and marketing director for CALA Homes (North Home Counties), remarks: “CALA’s reputation for quality, the design of the homes and their ideal location has resulted in extremely high levels of interest from local families, professionals and downsizers looking to move into this sought-after area. Many of our visitors have been eager to see inside the stunning Skylark townhouses and now with our new view home, people can see for themselves the imaginative design, high specification and attention to detail for which CALA is renowned.”
The ‘Skylark’ is priced at £1.195m and is available with CALA’s 100% Part Exchange service. Elsewhere on the site, three bedroom semi-detached townhouses are priced from £649,950, with two-bedroom apartments priced from £429,950.
Find out more about CALA @ Great Kneighton from CALA Homes
Innovative ‘grid neutral’ house to be built at Lincolnshire development
Larkfleet Homes is fitting one of the new four-bedroom homes at it Bourne Heights development with a series of technical innovations to make it ‘grid neutral’, in other words, able to generate all the power it needs itself.
Larkfleet Homes CEO Karl Hick says: “The objective is to take a standard Larkfleet house and make it self-sufficient in electricity.” This means using photovoltaic cells on the roof to provide solar-powered energy even on cloudy days, with batteries as a source of energy at night and during peak demand times. Energy-efficient construction methods and materials are the basis, with smart water meters, sensors in baths and a heat exchanger all adding to the overall effect.
The home will even have enough power to recharge an electric car in the garage overnight, with any excess given back to the National Grid.
Find out more about Bourne Heights from Larkfleet Homes
Help to Buy event at Croydon development this weekend
Saturday 4 February is a date for the diary for homebuyers looking to get an apartment in Croydon through Help to Buy London, as developer Redrow London hosts an event for those hoping to take advantage of the government-backed purchase assistance scheme.
Over half the apartments sold at Morello have been through Help to Buy London since last autumn, allowing buyers to get the flat they want with a 5% deposit topped up by a 40% equity loan from the government that is interest-free for five years and leaves only 55% of the price to find as a mortgage.
Current prices start at £330,000 at Morello for a one-bedroom apartment, with two- and three-bedroom alternatives also available through Help to Buy London. Homes are scheduled for completion by the end of this year.
The development, a joint venture between Redrow London and regeneration specialists Menta, is very close to well-connected East Croydon station and features a residents’ gym, a concierge service and an underground car park to complement the collection of 297 apartments.
Find out more about Morello from Redrow London
Open Day at retirement development in Oxfordshire this Saturday
Senior buyers and their families looking to find a new home at a purpose-built retirement development can explore one in great detail this weekend at Richmond Witney, which is being built in the Oxfordshire countryside.
The Open Day event takes place between 10.00am and 4.00pm on Saturday 4 February at the scheme, with champagne and refreshments available to visitors as well as the chance to look around the village suites and facilities. Prices for suites start at £235,000, with one- and two-bedroom apartments priced from £335,000 and £415,000 respectively.
Paddy Brice, managing director of specialist developer Richmond Villages, says: “We want to give people a real flavour for what living at this all new Richmond village is like, and ensure they get the information they need on all aspects of Richmond retirement living. These properties are ideal for those who like the idea of being in a safe and sociable community with care and assistance close at hand if required. There will also be the opportunity to view the remaining few village apartments which provide a more independent lifestyle.”
Find out more at richmond-villages.com/witney ; 01993 894000
One of two newly released Shropshire eco-homes already sold
Environmentally-friendly housebuilder Tesni Homes has sold one of two ‘eco-homes’ that it recently completed in Tibberton, a village just five miles west of Newport.
Located close to the banks of the River Meese ( one home even boasts its own stretch of river bank and a private water-side deck), River’s Edge comprises contemporary four-bedroom detached properties offering plenty of space and natural light in its semi-rural setting. Eco-friendly features include solar panels and heat recovery ventilation system along with high standards of insulation.
Tesni’s construction manager Paul Roberts says: “We are delighted to present our River’s Edge homes for sale in Tibberton. Our designs offer a high finish and a top level EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) ‘A’ rating, setting them apart from other less environmentally friendly developments.”
The remaining property and its double garage are set in a plot of approximately a quarter-of an acre, with a specially commissioned designer light made by art duo Freshwest in a vaulted hallway, a fitted kitchen, living space with dual-fuel log-burning stove, galleried landing, four bedrooms (two en suite) and sustainably sourced wood on its windows and doors. It is priced at £599,999.
Find out more at www.tesnihomes.co.uk ; 01352 748300
New development unveiled in Hoxton
A brand new development of apartments and penthouses has been launched in Hoxton, east London, as part of Hackney Council’s regeneration of the Colville Estate.
The new Hoxton Press development comes from Anthology, a relatively new name to housing development in London, whose Deptford Foundry site is already taking shape south of the Thames. This new scheme is markedly different, comprising two towers, one of 16 storeys and one of 20. Buyers can choose from studios, and one- and two-bedroom apartments and penthouses starting from £500,000.
David Newey, Project Director for Anthology Hoxton Press, says: “We have worked closely with our appointed architects to make sure the towers are designed to be inclusive and welcoming to all that come across them, by complementing the local architecture and incorporating a 360° design, meaning the buildings never have their backs to you. What’s more, we will eventually gift the sales and marketing suite to the local primary school.”
Find out more at anthology.london ; 020 3308 9813
Open House launch of new homes in Saffron Walden
A new show home highlights the 4 and 5 February Open House launch weekend of The Limes in Radwinter, a village five miles east of Saffron Walden in northern Essex, which will provide 35 new homes to the area, including 12 ‘affordable’ properties.
East Anglian agency Cheffins is marketing the new scheme on behalf of developer Enterprise Property Group, offering homebuyers a selection of Arts & Crafts-inspired terraced, semi-detached and detached homes with from two to five bedrooms, which will fit in well with the established housing in the area and is set for completion before the end of 2018.
The show home, the £795,000 five-bedroom ‘The Willows’ on Plot 31, has been dressed by local interior designer Nikki Spence of NS Interiors. Like every property on the site, it comes complete with an energy-efficient design and stylish specification. Prices on the development range from £395,000 to £1.075million.
Bruce King, director of Cheffins, says of the scheme: “With its fast connections into The City and easy access to Stansted Airport, we expect The Limes to be popular with not only local families, but also those looking to commute into London whilst being able to enjoy rural life. Radwinter has always been one of the most popular villages locally, partly because of its quick connections but also because of its idyllic countryside.”
Find out more at www.cheffins.co.uk ; 01799 523656
Phase 2 of east London scheme launched Thursday 2 February
With 95% of the first phase sold off-plan already, developer NU living is holding an off-site launch event for the second batch of homes at its 360° scheme tonight (Thursday 2 February).
From 4.00pm to 8.00pm, the NU living sales team will be at agent Hamptons’ office at 180 Oxford street to speaker to buyers and investors about the next collection of apartments to go on sale from 360°, which is being built in Barking across four towers, a short walk from a new shopping development and from local transport links. Prices currently start at £295,000.
Linda Faucher, sales and marketing director at NU living says: “The interest we have received so far for 360º has exceeded our expectations. We wanted to deliver high quality homes in Zone 4 at an affordable price, and we are delighted to have accomplished this. The success of Phase One has been fantastic, and given the interest and enquiries we are already receiving about Phase Two, we are anticipating a high level of early reservations.”
Find out more at www.360barking.co.uk ; 020 3675 8554